Ștefan cel Mare 2nd Motorized Infantry Brigade

The 2nd Motorized Infantry Brigade "Stefan Cel Mare" is a motorized infantry unit of the Moldovan National Army's Ground Forces based in the Moldovan capital of Chișinău.

2nd Motorized Infantry Brigade "Stefan Cel Mare"
Brigada 2 Infanterie Motorizată „Stefan Cel Mare”
The brigade during the 2016 Chișinău Independence Day Parade.
Active	16 October 1992-present
Country	Moldova
Branch	Moldovan Ground Forces
Type	Motorized Infantry
Garrison/HQ	Chișinău
Nickname(s)	The Stefan Cel Mare Brigade
Engagements	Transnistria War
Battle honours	State Order "Faith of the Homeland" 1st class (2017)[1]
Commanders
Notable commanders	Mihail Buclis Oleg Chulkov
Insignia
Shoulder Patch

Operations

It was created on October 16, 1992, on the basis of former Soviet units of the Kishinev Garrison.^[2][3] Prior to its official creation, it underwent a 2-month training period, in which the units that now make up the brigade prepared for frontline service in the Transnistria War. In June 2019, it was revealed that several soldiers from the brigade were beaten, which caused the prosecutor's office to open a criminal case.^[4]

Like all the other motorized infantry brigades in the ground forces, the brigade maintains a military band which serves on special occasions.

T-34 tank

In September 2015, on the instructions of Defense Minister Anatol Șalaru and with his personal participation, the T-34 tank mounted on the territory of the brigade in Chișinău was removed from the pedestal. According to Salaru, the tank will be exhibited in the Museum of the Soviet Occupation, along with five more monumental tanks planned for dismantling.^[5] He explained his reasoning for removing the tank as needing "to educate a new generation on other values" than what the tank represents.^[6][7]