The rise and fall of Ukraine's Kraken battalion, the 'warrior gods' of Kharkiv

The **Kraken** battalion, made up of young Ukrainians, distinguished itself in the defense of **Kharkiv** in 2022 with innovative tactics, but its momentum faded in the face of Russian numerical superiority and the lack of replacements.

## The birth of the "warrior gods"

At the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022, the city of **Kharkiv** seemed lost. Russian forces advanced with overwhelming superiority, even reaching the city center and generating reports of total control on pro-Russian channels. However, resistance organized in an unexpected way. A group of volunteers emerged, calling themselves **"Hooligans Ultras"**, made up mostly of Russian-speaking young men, combat sports fans and technology enthusiasts. These individuals, with an average height above **1.81 meters** thanks to the diet of their food-producing region, decided to "support the army in their own particular way." Their methods, a fusion of low-cost technology bought on platforms like **Aliexpress** with Soviet weaponry, proved surprisingly effective. Europe, wary of a possible escalation, provided them mainly with non-lethal aid, such as helmets and bulletproof vests, but no heavy weaponry.

## The defense of Kharkiv and the Kherson counteroffensive

Alongside the regular Ukrainian army, the **Kraken** battalion managed to repel Russian forces in **Kharkiv**, thwarting the occupation plans when the city had been written off. The Russians suffered a crushing defeat, losing communication between their units and being decimated. This victory led the Russians to withdraw and attempt to encircle the city. The **Kraken** carried out a successful counterattack on its own, breaking through Russian lines in **Balakliia** and inflicting massive casualties. Russian propaganda, faced with the scale of the losses, even speculated about the "non-human" nature of these fighters. Later, while Russian propaganda focused on a supposed Ukrainian counteroffensive in **Kherson**, the **Kraken** carried out a brilliant offensive in the east, breaking through Russian lines with a group of no more than **2,000 soldiers**.

## The decline and dissolution

The **Kraken**'s momentum was halted near **Kreminna** and **Svatove** in September 2022. By then, the arrival of Western weaponry was limited, with the exception of a small number of **HIMARS** systems. A conspiracy theory suggests that the **United States** may have slowed down arms supplies to avoid greater destabilization in Russia. The **Wagner** offensive on **Bakhmut** diverted Ukrainian reinforcements, while Russian forces began to analyze and replicate the **Kraken**'s tactics. A fundamental problem for Ukraine was its inability to replace losses, given the low birth rate in its eastern regions, below **1 child per woman**. Russia, for its part, massively increased its military personnel, exceeding **500,000 deployed soldiers** and estimated at nearly **700,000**. With the front stalled and no way to replenish its ranks, the **Kraken**'s motivation waned, leading to its de facto dissolution. Many of its members returned to civilian life, and the rest were integrated into the III Corps of the Ukrainian army, operating drones and leading small units in special operations.