Former miners constituted the core of the battalion, original strength being about five hundred people.

[3] Later in 2014 it took part in the battles around the memorial hill of Savur-Mohyla and the nearby city of Snizhne.

In October 2014, the unit was reorganised as a separate artillery brigade, and re-equipment began accordingly.

[6][7] Notable among Kalmius’s officers was Eduard Basurin, who after serving in the brigade as a political commissar became Deputy Defence Minister of the DPR.

On January 1, 2023, the Kalmius brigade was incorporated into the Russian Armed Forces as the 14th Separate Artillery Brigade "Kalmius" as part of the 1st Army Corps, which was later reorganised into the 51st Combined Arms Army.