26th Infantry Battalion (Romania)

This article is about the Romanian military unit. For the 1988 film, see Red Scorpion. For the Canadian gang, see Red Scorpions.
26th Infantry Battalion "Neagoe Basarab"
Batalionul 26 Infanterie "Neagoe Basarab"
Insignia of the 26th Infantry Battalion "Neagoe Basarab"
CountryRomania
BranchRomanian Land Forces
Part ofMultinational Brigade South-East
Garrison/HQCraiova
Nickname(s)Red Scorpions (Scorpionii Roșii)
EngagementsAngola (as part of the UNAVEM III)
Bosnia and Herzegovina (as part of the SFOR)
Kosovo (as part of the KFOR)
Iraq War
War in Afghanistan
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Lieutenant colonel Nicolae Ciucă

The 26th Infantry Battalion "Neagoe Basarab" (Romanian: Batalionul 26 Infanterie "Neagoe Basarab"), also known as the Red Scorpions (Romanian: Scorpionii Roșii), is an infantry battalion of the Romanian Land Forces based in Craiova. It is part of Romania's Multinational Brigade South-East. The battalion has participated in missions in Angola, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. Its tasks there were building refugee camps and weapons depots or guarding airports, military bases and roads. The 26th Infantry Battalion got its nickname, "Red Scorpions", from allied troops of the United States in 1996 during its mission in Angola, as they encountered many scorpions there.[1][2]

One of its commandants was Nicolae Ciucă, who later served as Chief of the Romanian General Staff, Minister of National Defence of Romania, Prime Minister of Romania and president of the National Liberal Party.[3] Ciucă led the 26th Infantry Battalion during Operation Ancient Babylon in Nasiriyah in May 2004 during the Iraq War. It is reported that this military engagement was the first where the Romanian Armed Forces were "active combatants" ever since the end of World War II.[4]

  1. ^ "Cum și-au căpătat porecla de Scorpionii Roșii militarii de elită din Batalionul 26 Infanterie "Neagoe Basarab"". Digi24 (in Romanian). 26 November 2018.
  2. ^ Popescu, Ana (10 February 2022). "Președintele României și ministrul Apărării vor să stea de vorbă cu "Scorpionii Roșii". Ce vor să verifice". Adevărul (in Romanian).
  3. ^ Vioreanu, Valentin (10 April 2022). "Este oficial: Nicolae Ciucă, noul președinte al PNL". Capital (in Romanian).
  4. ^ Cozmei, Victor (24 October 2019). "Cine este Nicolae Ciucă, propus ministrul Apărării: militar de carieră, cunoscut ca "generalul deșertului", a condus în Irak prima bătalie a soldaților români după al doilea război mondial". HotNews (in Romanian).