The 2nd Special Purpose Detachment "Vladyslav Peleshenko" is a volunteer special operations unit, one of the

spetsnaz SpetsnazThe term is borrowed from rus, спецназ, p=spʲɪtsˈnas; abbreviation for or 'Special Purpose Military Units'; or () are special forces in many post-Soviet states. Historically, this term referred to the Soviet Union's Spet ...

units of the Main Directorate of Intelligence, the unit was established in 2022. Composed mostly of volunteers from within Ukraine and abroad, the unit conducts special reconnaissance, sabotage, and other covert operations. It is a part of Tymur Special Operations Detachment.

History

The detachment has the honorary name of Vladyslav Peleshenko in reference to a soldier of the HUR who had been killed in action and awarded the

Hero of Ukraine A Hero of Ukraine (HOU; ) is the highest national decoration that can be conferred upon an individual citizen by the president of Ukraine. The decoration was created in 1998 by President Leonid Kuchma. As of 6 June 2025, the total number of re ...

. On 11 September 2024, the 2nd Special Operations Detachment conducted a raid on the coast of Crimea in cooperation with several other units, destroying a Russian Su-30SM aircraft with

MANPADS Man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS or MPADS) are portable shoulder-launched surface-to-air missiles. They are guided weapons and are a threat to low-flying aircraft, especially helicopters and also used against low-flying cruise missi ...

. They attacked a Russian oil and gas platform with light and medium weapons and inflicted casualties in terms of both personnel and equipment.

Defcon Tribe

The battalion has an international volunteer unit called Defcon Tribe, composed of foreign volunteers from Estonia, Brasil, Colombia, United States, Italy, Portugal, Spain, South Africa, UK as well as Ukrainian nationals. It has fought throughout the front, most notably in the black Sea theater of operations.

Structure

* Management & Headquarters * 1st Platoon * 2nd Platoon *

Defcon Tribe * Commandant Platoon * Support Units

References

{{Reflist Military units and formations of Ukraine in the Russian invasion of Ukraine Military units and formations established in 2022 Ministry of Defence (Ukraine) Special forces of Ukraine Battalions of Ukraine Military of Ukraine 2022 establishments in Ukraine