The 1st Separate Guards Motor Rifle Slavyansk Order of the Republic Brigade (Russian: 1-я отдельная гвардейская мотострелковая Славянская ордена Республики бригада, 1 oмсбр; Military Unit Number 08801)[1] is a military unit of Russian Ground Forces.

Strelkov's name was later revealed to be Igor Girkin, a Moscow-born Russian, Army veteran and former FSB agent.

[3][4] The brigade took part in the siege of Sloviansk,[5][2] during which time it was known as the 1st Slavyansk Volunteer Battalion (Russian: Первый славянский добровольческий батальон).

[5] According to Girkin, after the retreat from Sloviansk to Donetsk, the forces of the brigade were immediately deployed to Mospyne, Ilovaisk, and the Petrovskyi District, which had all been previously undefended, thus establishing a front line against Ukrainian forces which were threatening the city of Donetsk from the south.

[6] At the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the brigade controlled the contact line from Shyrokyne to Boikivske (Telmanove), and was later transferred to the Avdiivka front.