National Guard of Ukraine

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

National Guard of Ukraine
Національна гвардія України
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
Anniversary
Website
ngu.gov.ua/en

The National Guard of Ukraine (NGU;

Ukrainian independence, it was later disbanded and merged into the Internal Troops of Ukraine in 2000 by then-President Leonid Kuchma as part of a "cost-saving" scheme. Following the 2014 Revolution of Dignity, amidst the Russian intervention, the National Guard was re-established, and the Internal Troops were disbanded.[1]

The objective of the National Guard is to serve as a

History

Original formation

The NGU was originally created by the Law of Ukraine "On the National Guard of Ukraine" dated 4 November 1991, No. 1775 -XII. The National Guard was created on the basis of part of the

Ukrainian SSR, while the Internal Troops of Ukraine also was established at almost the same time in 1992 as parts of the Ukrainian branch of the old Soviet Internal Troops.[11] The National Guard claimed to inherit the traditions and legacy of the Gendarmerie of the Ukrainian People's Republic, which existed from 1918 to 1919.[12]

During its early existence, the National Guard was indirectly involved in the

1991 Crimean sovereignty referendum. The National Guard was sent to restore order and Ukrainian sovereignty over Crimea.[13]

In 1995, there were already calls for the dissolution of the National Guard by political opponents of the then-president Leonid Kuchma who accused him of dictatorial behavior after he resubordinated the guard to himself by decree. After Kuchma's re-election after the 1999 Ukrainian presidential election, the opposition continued to demand the extinction of the National Guard, which was done in 2000 as part of a concession to the opposition by Kuchma and justified as part of a "cost-saving scheme".[14]

The National Guard was dissolved by the Law of Ukraine "On Amendments and Additions to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine" dated 11 January 2000, and merged with the Internal Troops of Ukraine, while some NGU formations were reassigned to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and thus were included in the order of battle of the Ukrainian Ground Forces.[1]

Badges of the NGU 1991–2000

Reformation

In 2014, amidst

Yatsenyuk Government announced plans to recruit 10,000 people within the next 15 days for the by now revived National Guard.[17]
Individual volunteers were also accepted.

The 2014 law provided for an initial authorised strength of 33,000 personnel. It also tasks the National Guard with maintaining public order, protecting sites like nuclear power plants and "upholding the constitutional order and restoring the activity of state bodies",

).

The National Guard will be receiving a large proportion of the money from the emergency budgetary reprogramming approved by parliament for the funding of weapons procurement, equipment repair, and training (said reprogramming is equivalent to $600 million in 2014 Dollars).[19] It is hoped that, eventually, the strength of the National Guard will rise to 60,000 personnel. The pay for National Guard regulars is approximately 214 Euros ($297) a month, equivalent to an average Ukrainian's monthly income. Officers receive about twice that amount.[20] There are also some attached Internal Troops personnel, mostly for training and/or logistical support purposes,

e.g. K-9 teams that have been taking part in training and demonstration sessions.

During the

Azov and Donbas battalions, which were the largest volunteer units by far with a strength of 1,000 and 900 soldiers. Due to the size and operational success of those Battalions, they were transferred to be under the command of the National Guard.[22][23][24][25]

On May, the National Guard saw one of its first combat operations at the

Serhiy Kulchytsky was killed during the Siege of Sloviansk, when his helicopter was shot down by separatists.[29] On early June, a Border Guard base and a National Guard were besieged in Luhansk and after 10 hours of battle the base fell after the guardsmen ran out of ammunition.[30]

On October 13, several National Guards troops protested outside the Ukrainian

presidential administration building in Kyiv, they demanded the end of conscription and their own demobilisation. According to Kyiv Post, many of the protesters were former Internal Troops who had clashed with Euromaidan protesters, and they were not in favour of that movement or the new government.[31]

Three National Guardsmen died in a riot on 31 August 2015 at the Verkhovna Rada when a policeman on leave threw a grenade outside the facade.[32]

According to official figures, by mid-April 2016, the Interior Ministry and the National Guard have lost 308 personnel since the

National Guard's volunteer battalions.[33]

Russo-Ukrainian War

Beginning Thursday, 24 February 2022, the day the Russian Armed Forces invaded Ukraine,[10] the NGU has been active in many of the land battles fought by Ukrainian forces during the current war.

On the first day of the war, the

Russian offensive on Kyiv stalling and eventually withdrawing.[35]

169 National Guard troops were captured after the battle of Chernobyl. Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed that "Currently, control over the situation at the Chernobyl NPP is being exercised jointly by Russian servicemen, Ukrainian specialists, the plant's civilian personnel, and that country's National Guard".[36] But later reports indicated they were captured and locked in a bunker for 30 days.[37] On 6 April, the Ukrainians officially announced the National Guard had retaken and reestablished control over the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.[38]

The

ultranationalist militia, and its legitimization by the Ukrainian government and inclusion in the official structure of the National Guard has been a point of contention. It has been used by Russia to paint the Ukrainian government as Nazi-leaning, as justification for the brutality in Mariupol and as a casus belli for the invasion itself.[41]

After the retreat of Russian forces from the Kyiv axis, the 4th Rapid Reaction Brigade was redeployed to

Battle of Severodonetsk and Lysychansk, where they fought a month-long defense of the twin cities.[43][44] And later in the year, the unit was deployed at Bakhmut to fight in the grueling Battle of Bakhmut.[45]

The National Guard began the raising of an additional 6 "Offensive Guard" Infantry Brigades in February 2023 to bolster its fighting forces under the recommendation of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, with the remaining two under other agencies.[46] These brigades, unlike those under Army wartime control, report directly to NGU General Headquarters in Kyiv through operational commanders. Under these circumstances, and with most of the former Azov Regiment veterans of Mariupol (by now released if living) and other battles now reporting under the Armed Forces' overall command, the regiment was reflagged and reactivated, this time, as a National Guard Offensive Infantry Brigade, organized in like manner as the rest of its fellow brigades.

Structure

The National Guard of Ukraine is a military force under the command of Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs, and is tasked to protect public order, strategically important facilities and counter illegal paramilitary groups.[47] Originally formed in 1991, in 2000 the National Guard was disbanded due to financial issues, then restored in 2014 after the Maidan revolution on the basis of the former Internal Troops of Ukraine, which formerly co-existed with the first iteration of the NGU.[48] During martial law periods, the units of National Guard are subordinated to Ukrainian Armed Forces.[45]

As of 2023 the National Guard is structured in five Operational-Territorial Commands:

Directly reporting formations under GHQ National Guard

  • National Guard Headquarters Protection & Support Battalion
  • 22nd Diplomatic Missions & Consular Posts of Foreign States Protection Brigade
  • National Guard Air Base/Air National Guard of Ukraine
  • Military Band Service of the National Guard of Ukraine

Volunteer units

Operational brigades

Protection of public order

Mixed units

  • 2nd Galician Brigade
  • 5th Slobozhansk Brigade
  • 11th Separate Battalion
  • 12th Separate Battalion
  • 13th Separate Battalion
  • 15th Slovyansk Regiment
  • 16th Separate Battalion
  • 18th Separate Battalion
  • 22nd Separate Battalion
  • 25th Separate Battalion
  • 26th Separate Battalion
  • 32nd Separate Battalion
  • 40th Nechay Regiment
  • 50th Vysochan Regiment
  • 75th Separate Battalion

Transport protection units

  • 14th Separate Battalion
  • 15th Separate Battalion
  • 19th Separate Battalion
  • 27th Pechersk Brigade
  • 34th Separate Battalion

Commanders

  • 1991–1995 Lieutenant General Volodymyr Kukharets[49]
  • 1995–1996 Lieutenant General Oleksandr Kuzmuk[50]
  • 1996–1998 Lieutenant General Ihor Valkiv[51]
  • 1998–2000 Lieutenant General Oleksandr Chapovsky[52]
  • 2000–2014 transferred to the Commander of
    Internal Troops
  • 2014 Lieutenant General Stepan Poltorak
  • 2014–2015 Lieutenant General Mykola Balan (acting)
  • 2015–2019 Colonel General
    Yurii Allerov
  • 2019–2022 Lieutenant General Mykola Balan[53]
  • 2022– General Yuriy Lebid[53]

Training

New recruits (those not transferring in from the Internal Troops, Ground Forces or military academies) will undergo an initial two-week compressed training course, covering a range of areas from firearms and unarmed combat, to map reading and communications. Those signing up to be full-time members of the Guard will receive at least an additional four weeks of training.[b] For those part-time members who complete their two-week training and return to their communities to await call-up, the authorities appear to be planning to implement a variation of the March battalion system; based where possible around existing civilian militias and armed groupings. Most of those use the sotnya as their basic unit, as does the National Guard itself.

In March 2015, the National Guard of Ukraine received training from the U.S.

173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. The training took place at the Yavoriv training center near the western Ukrainian city of Lviv. The 173rd Airborne paratroopers trained the Ukrainians on how to better defend themselves against "Russian and rebel artillery and rockets." Training also included securing roads, bridges, and other infrastructure and treating and evacuating casualties.[54]

Officers and NCOs of the NGU are trained under the aegis of the National Guard Military Academy of Ukraine.

Ranks and insignia

Officers

Rank group General / flag officers Senior officers Junior officers Officer cadet
 Ukrainian Ground Forces[55]
Генерал
Heneral
Генерал-лейтенант
Heneral-leitenant
Генерал-майор
Heneral-maior
Бригадний генерал
Bryhadnyi heneral
Полковник
Polkovnyk
Підполковник
Pidpolkovnyk
Майор
Maior
Капітан
Kapitan
Старший лейтенант
Starshyi leitenant
Лейтенант
Leitenant
Молодший лейтенант
Molodshyi leitenant

Other Ranks and NCOs

Rank group Senior NCOs Junior NCOs Enlisted
 Ukrainian Ground Forces[55]
Головний майстер-сержант
Holovnyi maister-serzhant
Старший майстер-сержант
Starshyi maister-serzhant
Майстер-сержант
Maister-serzhant
Штаб-сержант
Shtab-serzhant
Головний сержант
Holovnyi serzhant
Старший сержант
Starshyi serzhant
Сержант
Serzhant
Молодший сержант
Molodshyi serzhant
Старший солдат
Starshyi soldat
Солдат
Soldat

Long Service Medal

  • 25 years in service
    25 years in service
  • 20 years in service
    20 years in service
  • 15 years in service
    15 years in service
  • 10 years in service
    10 years in service

Equipment

Gallery

Robed woman, seated, with sword on her lap
National Guard K-9 unit at the JFO zone, 2019.
Robed woman, seated, with sword on her lap
Soldiers of the National Guard of Ukraine in 2022.
Robed woman, seated, with sword on her lap
Female soldier of the NGU at a security checkpoint
Robed woman, seated, with sword on her lap
4th Rapid Reaction Brigade soldiers during the Battle of Hostomel Airport

See also

Notes

  1. ^ "Actions aimed at the violent overthrow, change of constitutional order, or the seizure of state power"
  2. ^ However, at least one regular battalion has been stood up with only three weeks total of training.[Early April 2014]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Ukraine: National Guard Restored". Library of Congress. 4 April 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  2. ^ Flanagan, Stephen J.; Kepe, Marta (26 February 2022). "What kind of resistance can Ukraine mount?". www.defensenews.com.
  3. ^ Мільйон українців у формі захищає Україну від росіян
  4. ^ "Zelenskyy appoints new commander of the National Guard".
  5. ^ Yaroslav Mezentsev (10 May 2011). Холодна війна за Крим. Як ділили флот у 1990–х [Cold war over Crimea. How the fleet was divided in 1990.] (in Ukrainian). istpravda.com.ua.
  6. ^ "President declares March 26 Day of National Guard". Interfax-Ukraine. 18 March 2015.
  7. ^ "Завдання - НГУ". ngu.gov.ua. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  8. ^ "Офіційна сторінка миротворчої діяльності Нацгвардії України". nguinunpeaceoperations.tilda.ws. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  9. ^ "РАДА СТВОРИЛА НАЦІОНАЛЬНУ ГВАРДІЮ". Українська правда (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  10. ^ a b "Conflict in Ukraine". Global Conflict Tracker. Council on Foreign Relations. 28 February 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  11. ^ "Про внесення змін до деяких законодавчих актів України". Офіційний вебпортал парламенту України (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  12. ^ "ЖАНДАРМЕРІЯ ЗАХІДНОУКРАЇНСЬКОЇ НАРОДНОЇ РЕСПУБЛІКИ". resource.history.org.ua. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  13. ^ Yaroslav Mezentsev (10 May 2011). Холодна війна за Крим. Як ділили флот у 1990–х [Cold war over Crimea. How the fleet was divided in 1990.] (in Ukrainian). istpravda.com.ua.
  14. ^ БОДНЯ, Тетяна (26 March 2015). "Національна гвардія: на перших рубежах". Урядовий Кур’єр. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
  15. ^ "Ukraine creates National Guard ahead of Crimea vote". BBC.com. 13 March 2014.
  16. ^ В Украине объявили о создании Национальной гвардии: Начинается мобилизация опытных военных [The establishment of the National Guard of Ukraine is announced: Mobilization of expert military begins]. www.NR2.ru (in Russian). 11 March 2014. Archived from the original on 11 March 2014.
  17. ^ Chris Morris (16 March 2014). "Kiev expects West response after Crimea vote". BBC.com.
  18. ^ "Ukrainian National Guard". GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
  19. ^ Anthony Faiola (17 March 2014). "Ukraine mobilizes reservists but relies on diplomacy". Washington Post. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
  20. ^ Roman Goncharenko (20 March 2014). "Can the National Guard save Ukraine?". Deutsche Welle.
  21. ^ a b "Добровольчі батальйони на Сході України: хто вони?". Uacrisis.org (in Ukrainian). 16 March 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  22. ^ "Ultra-nationalist Ukrainian battalion gears up for more fighting". Reuters. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
  23. ^ "Volunteers Bolster Ukraine's Fighting Force". Institute for War and Peace Reporting. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
  24. ^ Ukraine underplays role of far right in conflict, BBC News (13 December 2014)
  25. ^ "The women fighting on the frontline in Ukraine". The Guardian. 5 March 2015. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
  26. ^ Post, Kyiv (9 May 2014). "Avakov says 21 dead in Mariupol after clashes between police and separatists on Victory Day (VIDEO) - May. 09, 2014". KyivPost. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
  27. ^ "Ukraine forces briefly occupy city hall in eastern Mariupol". Reuters. 7 May 2014. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
  28. ^ "Battle at Donetsk airport; new Ukraine leader says no talks with 'terrorists'". Reuters. 27 May 2014. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
  29. ^ "Obituary: Major General Serhiy Kulchytsky". BBC News. 29 May 2014. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
  30. ^ "6 militants killed, 3 Ukrainian troops injured in Luhansk - National | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
  31. ^ Sukhov, Oleg (14 October 2014). "Politicians, activists slam National Guard protest as unpatriotic - Oct. 14, 2014". KyivPost. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
  32. ^ "Death Toll Rises To Three From Grenade Attack Near Ukrainian Parliament". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 2 September 2015. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  33. UNIAN
    . 18 April 2016. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  34. ^ Roblin, Sebastien (25 February 2022). "Pictures: In Battle for Hostomel, Ukraine Drove Back Russia's Attack Helicopters and Elite Paratroopers". 19FortyFive. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  35. ^ a b McGregor (8 March 2022). "Russian Airborne Disaster at Hostomel Airport | Aberfoyle International Security". Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  36. ^ "Situation at Chernobyl NPP under joint control — Russian diplomat". TASS. 9 May 2022. Archived from the original on 13 March 2022. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  37. ^ Al-Arshani, Sarah. "169 Ukrainian National Guardsmen were locked in underground nuclear bunker by Russian forces that took over Chernobyl, report says". Business Insider. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  38. ^ "The National Guard of Ukraine units assumed control over the Chernobyl nuclear power plant". 6 April 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  39. ^ Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "The Azov Battalion: Extremists defending Mariupol | DW | 16.03.2022". DW.COM. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  40. ^ Zelenskyy, Volodymyr (19 March 2022). "Meaningful talks on peace and security for Ukraine are the only chance for Russia to reduce the damage from its own mistakes". President of Ukraine. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  41. ^ "The Azov Battalion: How Putin built a false premise for a war against "Nazis" in Ukraine". www.cbsnews.com. 22 March 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  42. ^ "Watch Video: Ukrainian tank hits Russian armoured vehicle from long-range, destroys it completely". Free Press Journal. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  43. ^ "Ukrainians cede land on eastern front, but hold on to hope". news.yahoo.com. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  44. ^ "The soldiers of the National Guard of Ukraine showed how they blew up the bridge between Rubizhne and Sievierodonetsk". 18 May 2022.
  45. ^ a b "Ніде на фронті не пасуємо перед ворогом, на визначених ділянках готуємо майбутні успіхи – звернення Президента України [Nowhere on the front are we grazing in front of the enemy, in certain areas we are preparing future successes - address of the President of Ukraine]". ПРЕЗИДЕНТ УКРАЇНИ ВОЛОДИМИР ЗЕЛЕНСЬКИЙ. 18 November 2022. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  46. ^ "Thousands of volunteers enroll in Ukraine's offensive brigades on first day of call". 6 February 2023.
  47. ^ Detsch, Jack (March 2023). "How Ukraine Learned to Fight". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  48. ^ "Russo-Ukraine War - 01 March 2023". www.globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  49. ^ NGU Commander Guard Lt.General V. Kukharets. Spetsnaz NGU. 24 March 2013
  50. ^ NGU Commander Guard Lt.General O.Kuzmuk. Spetsnaz NGU. 24 March 2013
  51. ^ NGU Commander Guard Lt.Guard I.Valkov. Spetsnaz NGU. 24 March 2013
  52. ^ NGU Commander Guard Lt.General O.Chapovsky. Spetsnaz NGU. 24 March 2013
  53. ^
    TSN
    (27 January 2022)
  54. ^ Fox News
  55. ^ a b "Наказ від 04.11.2020 № 398". ips.ligazakon.net (in Ukrainian). Ministry of Justice of Ukraine. 4 November 2020. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  56. ^ Замок, Високий (11 August 2023). "Кіновиробник Туарон здобули премію за кращий ігровий короткометражний фільм "Бог простить" — Високий Замок". wz.lviv.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 8 December 2023.

External links and further reading