The 3rd Nuclear Power Plant Defense Battalion is a battalion of the

National Guard of Ukraine The National Guard of Ukraine (NGU; , ; /NHU ) is the Ukrainian national gendarmerie and internal military force. It is part of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, responsible for public security. Originally created as an agency under the dire ...

tasked with

CBRN defense Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear defense (CBRN defense) or Nuclear, biological, and chemical protection (NBC protection) is a class of protective measures taken in situations where chemical warfare, chemical, biological warfar ...

specifically of the

Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant The Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant generates nuclear power in Ukraine. The plant is operated by Energoatom. Two VVER-1000 reactors are operational, each generating 1000 MW (net) of electricity, with two AP1000 reactors under construction. Khme ...

and has seen action against Russian forces during the

Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, , starting the largest and deadliest war in Europe since World War II, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, conflict between the two countries which began in 2014. The fighting has caused hundreds of thou ...

. In its current form, it was established in 1992 and headquartered at

Khmelnytskyi Khmelnytskyi (, ) is a city in western Ukraine. Located on the Southern Bug, it serves as the administrative centre of Khmelnytskyi Oblast as well as Khmelnytskyi Raion within the oblast. With a population of Khmelnytskyi is the second-larges ...

History

It was established on 1 July 1992 as a part of the

Internal Troops of Ukraine The Internal Troops of Ukraine (; ), abbreviated VV (), were a uniformed gendarmerie and Internal Troops in Ukraine. They were subordinate to the Chief Directorate of Ministry of Internal Affairs (Ukraine), Ministry of Internal Affairs (the count ...

to protect and guard the

. In 2014, it became a part of the

and started operations during the

War in Donbass The war in Donbas, or the Donbas war, was a phase of the Russo-Ukrainian War in the eastern Donbas region of Ukraine. The war began in April 2014, when Russian paramilitaries seized several towns. Ukraine's military launched an operation ...

with its special purpose platoon seeing heavy combat. Following the

, the Battalion saw action against Russian troops. It was reported that throughout the

Russo-Ukrainian war The Russo-Ukrainian War began in February 2014 and is ongoing. Following Ukraine's Revolution of Dignity, Russia Russian occupation of Crimea, occupied and Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, annexed Crimea from Ukraine. It then ...

, at least four personnel of the Battalion were killed in action.32 роки з дня створення відзначила військова частина, що боронить Хмельницьку АЕС
/ref> On 15 November 2022, during a large scale Russian assault on Ukraine, the

, under the battalion's protection, lost full access to the power grid and temporarily switched to backup power from diesel generators and both reactors had to be stopped. On 10 February 2023, one of the units of the

stopped as result of a massive Russian attack causing instability on the nearby power grid.

was again attacked on 29 November 2023 with several explosions being reported near it.

Structure

The structure of the battalion is as follows: * Management and Headquarters * Object Commandant's Office * 1st Special Commandant's Office * 2nd Special Commandant's Office * Special Purpose Platoon ** Capture Group ** Artillery Support Group ** Robotic Intelligence Complexes Department * Combat and Logistical Support Platoon ** Cynological Group ** Automobile Department * Engineering, Technical and Communications Platoon * Special Cargo Protection Group * Medical Center

Commanders

* Colonel Kostyantyn Kabanov (2018-)

Sources

Військова частина 3043 міста Нетішин відзначила 30-ти річчя

30 10 2015 ХАЕС 30 жовтня – навчання у військовій частині 3043 Національної гвардії України

Виповнилося 30 років військовій частині 3043 з охорони ХАЕС

Нацгвардія купила бронежилетів на 37 мільйонів: 6 клас захисту подорожчав, 4 клас – подешевшав

References

{{Reflist Military units and formations established in 1992 1992 establishments in Ukraine Military units and formations of Ukraine in the Russian invasion of Ukraine Military units and formations of Ukraine in the war in Donbas Battalions of the National Guard of Ukraine