[5] It began as a unit for the Republican Guard of the DPR, it is named after the first 15 volunteers in Donetsk, which included its leader Akhra Avidzba, a veteran of the Abkhazian conflict.

The Pyatnashka battalion defended a checkpoint in Staronavtiv street just south of the Donetsk International Airport, where heavy fighting was ongoing.

[8][9] In May 2023, Akhra Avidzba announced the recruitment of volunteers for the newly created Savage Division of Donbas, the core of which is the Pyatnashka.

The name of the division refers to the Russian formation from World War I, whose members were mostly recruited from the Caucasus.

The presence of British, Chinese, French, Japanese, and Serbian fighters have been confirmed over different periods of time.