Militsiya (Ukraine)
Militsiya Міліція | |
---|---|
Agency overview | |
Formed | February 9, 1919[1] |
Preceding agency | |
Dissolved | November 7, 2015[2] |
Employees | 152,000 (October 2015)[3] |
Jurisdictional structure | |
National agency | Ukraine |
Operations jurisdiction | Ukraine |
Size | 603,500 km² |
Population | 44 million (approx.) |
Governing body | Government of Ukraine |
General nature | |
Operational structure | |
Headquarters | Kyiv, Ukraine |
Parent agency | Ministry of Internal Affairs |
The militsiya (
History
Militsiya in Soviet Ukraine
The contemporary
Despite some operational autonomy, all regulations and standards of policing were established by the central Ministry; Moscow was directly co-ordinating important operations in Ukraine (such as anti-corruption investigations regarding statesmen of higher levels or other politics-related issues), including deployment of detective brigades from central offices in case of need. The Militsiya of the Ukrainian SSR used the same ranks, insignia and vehicle liveries as the rest of the Soviet militsiya.
Like all the Soviet Ministries of Internal Affairs, the Ukrainian SSR MVS included not only the militsiya, but also the republican branch of non-police services, such as:
- Passport and registration offices
- Chief Directorate of Camps)[7]
- Fire and rescue service
Militsiya and political repression in Soviet Ukraine
MVS of the Ukrainian SSR has been directly involved in Soviet political repressions in Ukraine at all stages. Since the splitting of the NKVD and detachment of the secret police to the MGB-KGB, the militsiya became a secondary instrument of repression in the hands of the KGB, fulfilling such tasks as:
- conducting fabricated charges of non-political crimes against Ukrainian Vyacheslav Chornovil)
- tackling occasional mass protests against Soviet rule
- maintaining the propiska regime
- participation in ethnic-related repressions and restrictions
- assisting in the persecution of religion
- direct persecution of homosexuals and various restricted cultural movements (like rockers, punks, bikers, karate students etc.) [citation needed]
Militsiya in independent Ukraine
Post-Independence reformation and the Gongadze case
After independence in 1991, and before the 2004 Constitutional Reform, Ukraine's Minister of Internal Affairs was directly subordinate to the
During its existence, the Ukrainian militsiya, particularly the post-independence form of the militsiya, had a significant record of law violation and human rights abuse. One of the most notorious cases of human rights abuse, before the agency’s later involvement in Euromaidan in 2013-2014, was the agency's involvement in the murder of journalist Georgiy Gongadze in 2000. Soon after Gongadze's disappearance, recordings of a Major Melnychenko were revealed.
A fragment of the recorded conversations portrayed MVS Minister Kravchenko promising President Kuchma to "take care" of the oppositional journalist. According to the recordings, Kravchenko told Kuchma that he controls a special group of high-class detectives "without any morals, and ready to do anything".
The decapitated and disfigured body of Gongadze was found later in a forest, and a long-lasting investigation started. In 2005, soon after the Orange Revolution, the first results of the case appeared. Three members of the MVS detective squad were charged with the abduction and murder of Gongadze. An international warrant was issued for their chief, General Oleksiy Pukach, who was supposedly hiding abroad.[8]
In March 2005, ex-Minister Kravchenko, the main participant of the case, was found shot in the head (supposedly by his own hand). Later, in September 2010, Ukraine's Office of the Prosecutor General issued a statement stating that prosecutors had concluded that Kravchenko had ordered Pukach to carry out the murder, and stating that Pukach had confessed to the murder.[8]
In the Melnychen recordings, the hitmen group was called "orly” (Ukrainian: орли, literally "eagles", Russian: орлы) by the Minister. (Note: Orly here it is not a proper name, but a traditional Russian common name for brave and skilful soldiers). Since then, the phrase "Orly of Kravchenko", became a symbol of lawlessness and brutality in Ukrainian law enforcement.
MVS and the UBK campaign
In 2000-2001, the MVS was trying to tackle the Ukraine without Kuchma (Ukrainian and Russian abbreviation: UBK) mass protest campaign against President Leonid Kuchma, using various methods: from direct attacks to the infiltration of provocateurs. The final confrontation took place on 9 March 2001 on the central streets of Kyiv, including clashes between protesters and anti-riot units, and mass arrests of youngsters in the city.
MVS during the Orange Revolution and later years
During the
In February 2005, after the revolution, as part of the post-election democratic changes, President Viktor Yushchenko appointed Yuriy Lutsenko as the new Minister of Internal Affairs. Unlike his predecessors, Lutsenko was a career politician and had never served in the militsiya or any other law enforcement agency. Moreover, as one of the main figures in the Socialist Party of Ukraine, Lutsenko participated in several protest campaigns and conflicts with the militsiya. The new minister demanded resignations from those officers involved in racketeering. Thus, taking a significant step towards the establishment of civil control over the Ukrainian militia.
In January 2006, Minister Lutsenko admitted that the MVS is in possession of the evidence that would allow them to question and charge ex-President
On 1 December 2006, Verkhovna Rada dismissed Lutsenko and appointed Vasyl Tsushko of the Socialist Party as the new Minister. Like his predecessor, Tsushko was also a civil politician (and previously a vineyard manager), not connected to the militsiya before his appointment. Additionally, Tsushko was the first-ever MVS Minister not subordinated to the President.
However, in 2007 Lutsenko returned to the post of minister and remained there until the elections which brought
In May 2007, the ongoing political crisis in Ukraine lead to a
Both sides in the political crisis managed to avoid further clashes between law enforcers. Now the Internal Troops, as well as all militsiya units, returned to their routine tasks and re-established practical co-ordination. However, the legal dispute over Internal Troops remains unsolved. The Troops command declares its subordination to the President - according to the decree which is currently being appealed in court by the
On 10 October 2008 officers from the Security Service of Ukraine detained deputy platoon commander of the Kharkiv city division patrol and inspection service regiment of the Main Interior Affairs Ministry Directorate in Kharkiv region on suspicion of pushing narcotic drugs.[9]
According to head of the trade union of attested employees of law enforcement agencies Anatolii Onyschuk, sociologic research shows that 3.9% of the Ukrainian militiamen trust the state, while 67.7% distrusted the state.[9]
2015 disbandment
Following reforms initiated by Ukrainian president
Departments
The following were the constituent departments of the militsiya:
- Leadership (consisting of the minister and his first deputy)
- Office of Ministry (Department in monitoring of human rights in activities of OVS)
- Advisers to the MVS
- Deputy Minister - Chief of HUBOZ
- Chief Department in the fight against the organised crime (HUBOZ)
- Internal Security Service of HUBOZ
- Deputy Minister - Chief of Criminal Militsiya (consists of at least nine subordinated departments)
- Deputy Minister - Chief of Militsiya of Civil Security
- Department of Civil Security
- Department of the State Auto Inspection (DAI)
- Department of Veterinary Militsiya in conducting quarantine in veterinary events
- Department of State Security Service (formerly part of Militsiya of civil security, it is currently a separate department)
- Department of transportation militsiya
- Deputy Minister - Chief of HSU
- Chief Detection Department
- Department of Investigation (Inquiry)
- State Science-Research Expert-Criminal Center
- Deputy Minister - Chief of Staff (several independent departments and directorates which are primarily for administrative support)
- Deputy Minister
- Department of public relationship and international activity
- State Department on issues of citizenship, immigration, and registration of physical persons
- Deputy Minister
- Supporting departments
- Deputy Minister - Chief of MVS in Crimea
Branch | Criminal | Traffic | Public Order | State Security Service |
Insignia |
Rank hierarchy
Cadet Officers | Private Officers | Non-commissioned Officers | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Shoulder insignia for every day uniform |
||||||||
Rank | Cadet of militsiya |
Private of militsiya |
Junior sergeant of militsiya |
Sergeant of militsiya |
Senior sergeant of militsiya |
Starshina of militsiya |
Praporshchik of militsiya |
Senior praporshchik of militsiya |
Service medals
-
25 years in service
-
20 years in service
-
15 years in service
-
10 years in service
Transport
The militsiya used many different forms of transport, which ranged greatly in age and technical specification.
Patrol fleet at disbandment
Patrol cars
|
Vans |
SUVs
|
-
OlderVAZ-2109 police car in Kharkiv
-
OlderVAZ-2110 road police car in Kharkiv
-
Skoda Octaviaroad police car
-
Mitsubishi Lancer police car
-
Toyota Camry police car
-
Older UAZ-469 police SUV
-
Renault Dusterpolice SUV
-
Kia Pregio police van
-
Renault Kangoo police car
-
GAZ Sobol police van
Deployment outside Ukraine
Deployments in various UN missions prior to disbandment in 2015:
- MONUC) - 3 policemen[11]
- Cyprus: (UNFICYP) - 1 policeman[11]
- Kosovo: (UNMIK) - 1 policeman[11]
- Liberia: (UNMIL) - 19 policemen[11]
- Sudan: (UNMIS) - 19 policemen[11]
- East Timor: (UNMIT) - 10 policemen[11]
- Côte d'Ivoire: (UNOCI) - 4 policemen[11]
Issues
According to
Some militsiya in Ukraine worked as racketeers and debt collectors.[16]
Overall the level of trust in the militsiya and other law enforcement bodies was low.[17] In a 2012 poll, the police were positively assessed by 26%, and negatively by 64%.[17][nb 2]
In 2013, the militsiya received the highest percentage among Ukrainians of having given a
Notes
- ^ On 3 July 2015 the National Police of Ukraine had started to replace militsiya.[4]
- ^ In a 2012 United Kingdom poll 79% said they trusted the police very or fairly strongly.[18]
References
- ^ a b Nahnoinyi, Ya. Militsiya (МІЛІЦІЯ). Ukrainian Soviet Encyclopedia (leksika.com.ua).
- ^ a b c d e Law on national police enacted in Ukraine, Interfax-Ukraine (7 November 2015)
(in Ukrainian)Avakov told how the militsiya will become police, Korrespondent.net (4 November 2015) - ^ Reform Watch - Oct. 1, 2015, Kyiv Post (2 October 2015)
- ^ a b c "Ukraine launches Western-style police force to set a marker for reform". Yahoo News. Reuters. 6 July 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
- ^ "Ukraine's fired policemen protest police reform". 19 December 2015.
- ^ when Soviet secret police were separated into the KGB.
- Internal Troopsin Ukraine were directly subordinated to its separate central command within the Soviet Ministry of Internal Affairs, except for a short period in the 1960s; the same is true of prison administration.
- ^ a b Ukraine Ex-Minister Ordered Journalist's Murder, Voice of America News.com (15 September 2010)
- ^ a b "Ukrainian News". Ukranews.com. Archived from the original on 5 February 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
- ^ Varadarajan, Tunku (3 September 2015). "Talent from Tbilisi". Politico.
- ^ a b c d e f g UN Mission's Contributions by Country for November 2009
- ^ Ukrainian Police-Abuse Protests Come To The Capital, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (17 July 2013)
- ^ Ukraine: Victims of police brutality Archived 24 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine, Amnesty International USA (27 September 2005)
Amnesty International: Ukrainian police told not to touch foreign fans during Euro 2012, Kyiv Post (4 July 2012) - ^ Yanukovych calling for greater control over detention facilities, Kyiv Post (15 December 2011)
- ^ Ukrainian Police Arrested For Alleged Torture, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (1 April 2010)
- S-TV). 28 January 2013
- ^ a b Nations in Transit 2013: Ukraine, Freedom House (2012)
- ^ Police are twice as trusted as government, poll finds, The Guardian (24 September 2012)
- ^ a b Transparency International Global Corruption Barometer: Ukraine has become more corrupt over the last two years, The Ukrainian Week (9 July 2013)
External links
- Media related to Militsiya of Ukraine at Wikimedia Commons