Special Operations Forces (Ukraine)
This article needs to be updated.(April 2024) |
Special Operations Forces | |
---|---|
Сили спеціальних операцій, ССО ЗСУ Syly Spetsialnykh Operatsiy, SSO ZSU | |
Size | 1,000[3]–2,000[4][5] (2022) |
Part of | Armed Forces of Ukraine |
Garrison/HQ | Kyiv, Ukraine |
Motto(s) | Ukrainian: Іду на ви!, romanized: Idu na vy! (I Come At You!) |
Color of beret | Steel Grey |
March | "Song of the Brave" |
Anniversaries | 29 July[6] |
Engagements | |
Website | sof |
Commanders | |
Current commander | Col. Serhii Lupanchuk |
Insignia | |
Flag | |
Shoulder sleeve insignia | |
Cap badge |
The Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (Ukrainian: Сили спеціальних операцій Збройних сил України,, romanized: Syly spetsialnykh operatsii Zbroinykh syl Ukrainy, abbreviated ССО, SSO) are the special forces of Ukraine and one of the seven branches of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, with headquarters in Kyiv.
The SSO has the roles including various special forces-related duties such as
History
The branch was formed based on military units of the Ukrainian
In 2014, Special Forces Command numbered over 4,000 Spetsnaz operatives, all of whom are professional soldiers.[10][11][12][13]
War in Donbas
At the beginning of the
This meant that Ukraine's most experienced and well trained troops were deployed and unavailable at the start of the conflict. The Ukrainian government immediately began a process of mobilization and the creation of reserve forces such as the
A group of heavily armed men appeared in Donetsk on 3 March 2014. These were mistakenly identified at first as Russian
Despite having lost many members, Ukrainian Spetsnaz was called to service in April 2014 once Russian insurgents began to advance into Ukraine. One of the first large-scale missions was to retake the
On April 25, 2014, Ukraine's Spetsnaz units were some of the first units to encounter insurgents in
On 26 May 2014 Russian insurgents launched an attack taking
In May and June 2014, Special Forces units were involved in aiding regular army and National Guard units in the
The Ukrainian military counterattacked, and an Omega special forces unit was airlifted unto the scene to help local troops drive back the attackers. During the failed assault, 63 separatists were captured and three killed. The Omega special forces group was then tasked with protecting Mariupol for the remainder of the First Battle of Mariupol.[20]
On 9 May, separatists stormed the city police headquarters. Omega and National Guard units attempted to recapture the building, but Ukrainian forces eventually retreated outside the city and cordoned off the city limits with check points. On 13 June, Omega special forces – along with National Guard units,
Ukraine's special forces have also carried out several operations deep into rebel-held territory, operating in the cities of Donetsk and Luhansk.[22]
Spetsnaz forces have also been responsible for locating and neutralizing terrorist cells operating deep inside of Ukraine, clearing cities that had been recaptured from insurgents, as well as searching for potential saboteurs. In May, the SBU raided and arrested several potential saboteurs in Odesa Oblast.[23]
The
While forces from the Ministry of Interior are often involved in locating spies and saboteurs, the Spetsnaz units of the Ministry of Defense have been more directly involved in the war. Perhaps the most well known are the Spetsnaz units responsible for defending Donetsk International Airport. The Airport was raided on April 18, but maintained operations until May 25, 2014, after which it faced nearly daily attacks. Ukrainian forces have earned the nickname "Cyborgs"[citation needed]. Rebels have on multiple occasions stated that they have captured the airport; however, the flag of Ukraine has been flying over the dispatch tower, suggesting the airport was actually not captured. The airport's garrison has been able to withstand attacks by Russian T-72 tanks, Grad and Uragan rocket artillery, and 2S4 Tyulpan heavy mortars without any air support. By September, Russian Spetsnaz forces began to actively aid the rebels in assaulting the airport; however, they only managed to advance 500 meters closer to the complex by the end of the month.[26]
On 22 November 2014 Spetsnaz groups Cheetah and Titan stormed the Odesa oil refinery. There were no injuries during the operation. A statement from the prosecutor's office of Odesa Oblast stated that Spetsnaz forces were used to secure the refinery's assets. In April, a Ukrainian court ruled that the refinery's assets were to be liquidated; however, it was suspected that management was trying to profit by illegally selling ₴55 million worth of assets without court approval. Prosecutors attempted to enter the refinery on 17 October 2014 to enforce a court decision to confiscate the refinery's assets but were stopped by security; therefore, the prosecutor's office made the decision to use Spetsnaz forces to secure the premises and carry out the previous court order.[27]
On 10 August 2016, Russia accused the Special Forces of Ukraine of conducting a raid near the Crimea town of
Independent formation
On 5 January 2016, the special forces of Ukraine were placed under a single independent military branch, the Special Operations Forces.[1] The catchphrase of Svyatoslav the Brave, "I Come at You!" (Ukrainian: Іду на ви!), was officially adopted as the organization's motto.[30]
In June 2019, the 140th Special Operations Centre was certified as a special ops unit that can be involved in the NATO Response Force, the first from a non-NATO-member state.[8][7]
As of 1 January 2022, the number of the Special Operations Forces had increased by 1,000.[31]
Following the
Casualties
Overall, the special forces community of Ukraine lost 73 of its members during the war as of 28 October 2017. The breakdown of casualties is as follows:[33]
- 3rd Special Purpose Regiment – 44 killed in action
- 8th Special Purpose Regiment – 14 killed in action
- 73rd Naval Special Purpose Center – 10 killed in action
- 140th Special Purpose Center – 5 killed in action
Structure
Previously the 3rd and 8th Special Forces Regiments existed at the locations where the SOF Centres East and West now are.[34]
- Special Operations Forces Command, in Kyiv
- 99th Command and Support Battalion, in Brovary
- Special Operations Center East, in Kropyvnytskyi (former 3rd Special Forces Regiment)[35]
- Special Operations Center West, in Khmelnytskyi (former 8th Special Forces Regiment)[36]
- Special Operations Center South, in Ochakiv (formerly 73rd Maritime Special Operations Center) On 24 August 2022 President Zelenskyy bestowed the For Courage and Bravery award on the unit.[37][38]
- 47th Special Forces Detachment
- 140th Special Forces Center, in Khmelnytskyi[39] (formerly part of the General Staff's Military Intelligence Directorate)
- 142nd Training and Education Center, in Berdychiv
- 35th Aviation Squadron (456th Transport Aviation Brigade)
- Intelligence Information Center (Розвідувально-інформаційний центр)[40]
- Center for Safeguarding of State Classified Data (Окремий центр оборони державної таємниці)[40]
- Special Operations Forces Signals Regiment (Полк зв’язку)[40][41]
- Special Operations Forces Supply Regiment (Полк забезпечення ССО)[40][41]
- support units (підрозділи Руху опору)[40][41]
Commanders
- Lieutenant General Ihor Lunyov (2016–2020)[1][42]
- Major General Hryhoriy Halahan (25 August 2020 – 26 July 2022)[42][43]
- Brigadier General Viktor Khorenko (July 2022 – 3 November 2023)[43][44]
- Colonel Serhiy Lupanchuk (3 November 2023)[44]
See also
References
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- ^ Zelensky signs off laws on national resistance, increasing number of troops, Ukrinform (29 July 2021)
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- ^ "Міністр оборони України затвердив нові правила носіння військової форми одягу та знаків розрізнення військовослужбовцями ЗС України та ліцеїстами". Ministry of Defence (Ukraine). 2017-11-21. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
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- Ukrayinska Pravda(1 January 2022)
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- ^ "Три частини ССО отримали стрічку до Бойового Прапора «За мужність та відвагу»". Retrieved 2022-09-03.
- ^ "КАПИТАН ДАН КОЛЕСНИК: "САМЫЙ ТЯЖЕЛЫЙ БОЙ 140-ГО ЦЕНТРА СИЛ СПЕЦИАЛЬНЫХ ОПЕРАЦИЙ"". Censor. 27 November 2014. Archived from the original on 2019-03-06. Retrieved 2019-03-04."140 окремий центр спеціального призначення ЗС України отримав Бойовий Прапор". gur.mil.gov.ua. Archived from the original on 2022-04-02. Retrieved 2022-01-22.
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- ^ a b c "Зеленський: Сили спеціальних операцій - це героїзм, про який неможливо розповісти всі деталі одразу". Interfax-Ukraine. 2023-07-30. Archived from the original on 2023-09-06. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
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- ^ a b "Zelensky replaces commander of Special Operations Forces". www.ukrinform.net. 2023-11-03. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
External links
- Media related to Special Operations Forces (Ukraine) at Wikimedia Commons
- «Flaming Sword 2017»: сильні разом!
- Ukrainian SOF
- "Сили спеціальних операцій ЗС України отримають нову символіку – долучайтесь до розробки". www.ukrmilitary.com. 2018-01-20. Retrieved 2018-01-20.
- "ССО України, як авангард сил НАТО, захоплять російські ядерні об'єкти – російський військовий експерт". milnavigator.com.ua. Військовий навігатор України. 2018-03-04. Archived from the original on 2018-03-06. Retrieved 2018-03-08.
- "Ексклюзивне інтервью Юрія Серветника". mil.in.ua. Український мілітарний портал. 2018-06-27. Retrieved 2018-06-27.
- "Сили спецоперацій отримали офіційну символіку". www.ukrmilitary.com. Ukrainian Military Pages. 2019-01-17. Retrieved 2019-01-19.