The National Guard of Ukraine (NGU; uk, Націона́льна гва́рдія Украї́ни, Natsionalna hvardiia Ukrainy, , ) is the Ukrainian national

gendarmerie Wrong info! --> A gendarmerie () is a military force with law enforcement duties among the civilian population. The term ''gendarme'' () is derived from the medieval French expression ', which translates to " men-at-arms" (literally, ...

and internal military force. It is part of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, responsible for public security. Originally created as an agency under the direct control of the

Verkhovna Rada The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine ( uk, Верхо́вна Ра́да Украї́ни, translit=, Verkhovna Rada Ukrainy, translation=Supreme Council of Ukraine, Ukrainian abbreviation ''ВРУ''), often simply Verkhovna Rada or just Rada, is the ...

on 4 November 1991, following Ukrainian independence. It was later disbanded and merged into the Internal Troops of Ukraine on 11 January 2000 by then-President

Leonid Kuchma Leonid Danylovych Kuchma ( uk, Леоні́д Дани́лович Ку́чма; born 9 August 1938) is a Ukrainian politician who was the second president of Ukraine from 19 July 1994 to 23 January 2005. Kuchma's presidency saw numerous corrup ...

as part of a "cost-saving" scheme. Following the early

2014 Ukrainian revolution The Revolution of Dignity ( uk, Революція гідності, translit=Revoliutsiia hidnosti) also known as the Maidan Revolution or the Ukrainian Revolution,

on 13 March 2014, amidst the Russian intervention, the National Guard was reestablished, and the Internal Troops were disbanded. The objective of the National Guard is to serve as a

military unit Military organization or military organisation is the structuring of the armed forces of a State (polity), state so as to offer such military capability as a military policy, national defense policy may require. In some countries paramilitary ...

with

law enforcement Law enforcement is the activity of some members of government who act in an organized manner to enforce the law by discovering, deterring, rehabilitating, or punishing people who violate the rules and norms governing that society. The term ...

powers. Its mission is to ensure state security, protect the state borders (supporting the State Border Service), participate in activities to neutralize paramilitary armed groups, terrorist organizations, organized groups and criminal organizations, protecting and guarding critical infrastructure such as Ukraine's nuclear power plants, as well as diplomatic missions, public authorities and buildings of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The NGU has sent personnel to UN peacekeeping missions. During peacetime the National Guard focuses on civilian public security: combating

organized crime Organized crime (or organised crime) is a category of transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals to engage in illegal activity, most commonly for profit. While organized crime is generally tho ...

and controlling

civil unrest Civil disorder, also known as civil disturbance, civil unrest, or social unrest is a situation arising from a mass act of civil disobedience (such as a demonstration, riot, strike, or unlawful assembly) in which law enforcement has difficulty ...

. However, during wartime the National Guard can be mobilized as a regular military force and take part in combat operations alongside the

Armed Forces of Ukraine , imports = , exports = , history = , ranks = Military ranks of Ukraine , country=Ukraine The Armed Forces of Ukraine ( uk, Збро́йні си́ли Украї́ни), most commonly know ...

, which has been done during the

War in Donbas War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regula ...

and the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

History

Original formation

The NSU 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 based on the Internal Troops of the Soviet Union in the Ukrainian SSR, the Internal Troops of Ukraine also was established at the same time in 1992 from the Ukrainian branch of the old Soviet Internal Troops. The National Guard claimed to inherit the traditions and legacy of the Gendarmerie of the

Ukrainian People's Republic The Ukrainian People's Republic (UPR), or Ukrainian National Republic (UNR), was a country in Eastern Europe that existed between 1917 and 1920. It was declared following the February Revolution in Russia by the First Universal. In March 1 ...

, which existed from 1918 to 1919. During its early existence, the National Guard was indirectly involved in the Transnistria War during the spring and summer of 1992, helping to defend the border against a threatened spill-over of the conflict into Ukraine. Formations involved were the 3rd, 4th and 5th divisions NGU (equipment transferred from the 93rd Motorized Rifle Division was also used in this deployment). Afterwards, up until 1998, National Guard units backed up the border guards in anti-smuggling operations conducted on the border with Moldova and Moldova's breakaway

Transnistria Transnistria, officially the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR), is an unrecognised breakaway state that is internationally recognised as a part of Moldova. Transnistria controls most of the narrow strip of land between the Dniester riv ...

region. In 1994, the National Guard was also involved in the 1992-1994 Crimean Crisis, which was an attempted by the

Autonomous Republic of Crimea The Autonomous Republic of Crimea, commonly known as Crimea, is a de jure autonomous republic of Ukraine encompassing most of Crimea that was annexed by Russia in 2014. The Autonomous Republic of Crimea occupies most of the peninsula,

to declare itself sovereign after the

1991 Crimean sovereignty referendum A referendum on sovereignty was held in the Crimean Oblast of the Ukrainian SSR on 20 January 1991,Leonid Kuchma Leonid Danylovych Kuchma ( uk, Леоні́д Дани́лович Ку́чма; born 9 August 1938) is a Ukrainian politician who was the second president of Ukraine from 19 July 1994 to 23 January 2005. Kuchma's presidency saw numerous corrup ...

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 Presidential elections were held in Ukraine on 31 October 1999, with a second round on 14 November. Nohlen, D & Stöver, P (2010) ''Elections in Europe: A data handbook'', p. 1976. The result was a victory for Leonid Kuchma, who defeated Petro S ...

, the opposition continued to demand the extinction of the National Guard, which was done in 2000 as part of concession to the opposition by Kuchma and justified as part of a "cost-saving scheme". 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.

Badges of the NGU 1991–2000

Reformation

In 2014, amidst Russian intervention to Crimea, the reformed force was created partially on the basis of the Internal Troops of Ukraine, with plans for the "

Volunteer Battalions Ukrainian volunteer battalions (, more formally , or abbreviated ) were militias and paramilitary groups mobilized as a response to the perceived state of weakness and unwillingness of the regular Armed Forces to counter rising separatism in spri ...

militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non- professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...

s and armed wings from certain of Ukraine's political parties and organisations, including the Euromaidan movement, to be also incorporated into it. However those plans have run into resistance from at least some of the latter, who do not wish to give up their weapons or otherwise subordinate themselves to government control. Direct recruitment from military academies was also intended. The National Guard was recreated in accordance with the Law of Ukraine "On the National Guard of Ukraine"

aw number 4393 A&W, AW, Aw, aW or aw may refer to: Companies * A&W Restaurants ** A&W Root Beer * Addison-Wesley, publishers * Africa World Airlines, IATA code * Prefix for helicopters made by AgustaWestland * Allied Waste Industries, Inc, stock symbol on N ...

dated 12 March 2014, (the draft legislation being originally introduced to the

Ukrainian parliament The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine ( uk, Верхо́вна Ра́да Украї́ни, translit=, Verkhovna Rada Ukrainy, translation=Supreme Council of Ukraine, Ukrainian abbreviation ''ВРУ''), often simply Verkhovna Rada or just Rada, is the ...

on 11 March). A previous attempt by then President Yushchenko to bring back the National Guard during civil unrest in 2008 had been blocked in the ''Rada''. It was finally re-established in March 2014 after the beginning of the Crimean crisis. On 16 March, the Yatsenyuk Government announced plans to recruit 10,000 people within the next 15 days for the by now revived National Guard. 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", in part a reference to the situation in Crimea, as well as to the perceived Russian threat to Ukraine as a whole. In the eastern parts of the country in particular, not only will the National Guard reinforce regular military units defending against a feared Russian invasion, it will also be expected to uphold Part 1 of Art. 109 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (i.e. it is intended to act as a

counterinsurgency Counterinsurgency (COIN) is "the totality of actions aimed at defeating irregular forces". The Oxford English Dictionary defines counterinsurgency as any "military or political action taken against the activities of guerrillas or revolutionari ...

force against fifth columnists and infiltrators). 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). 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. 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 ongoing war in the Donbas region of Ukraine, the forces of the revived National Guard have fought against pro-Russian separatists and Russian troops disguised as separatists. Due to lack of reserves, earlier in the conflict willing civilians and political groups created their own militias and paramilitary groups, known as the "

", to fight the separatists on their own. The Battalions were credited to have held the line against the separatists and allowed the National Guard and the

Armed Forces A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...

to reorganize and strike back. Some of the Battalions were placed under the aegis of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Two of them were the Azov and Donbas battalions, which were the largest volunteer units by far with a strength of 1,000 and 900 soldiers. Due the size and operational success of those Battalions, they were transferred to be under the command of the National Guard.Ukraine underplays role of far right in conflict

BBC News BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broad ...

(13 December 2014) On May, the National Guard saw one of its first combat operations at the

First Battle of Mariupol During the unrest in Ukraine in the aftermath of the 2014 Ukrainian revolution, the city of Mariupol, in Donetsk Oblast, saw skirmishes break out between Ukrainian government forces, local police, and separatist militants affiliated with the ...

, where they clashed with pro-Russia militants and demonstrators during the unrest in Mariupol. They first attempted to occupy several government buildings before they were routed by National Guard riot troops, but soon the unrest envolved into heavy fighting between government and separatist militia forces. Around the same time on May, separatist troops captured the terminal buildings of Donetsk International Airport, the National Guard circled the separatist forces, issuing an ultimatum demanding the surrender of the separatists — which was denied — and the

paratroopers A paratrooper is a military parachutist—someone trained to parachuting, parachute into a military operation, and usually functioning as part of an airborne forces, airborne force. Military parachutists (troops) and parachutes were first used ...

launched an assault on the airport. The incident became known as the First Battle of Donetsk Airport. On the same month, National Guard

Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

Serhiy Kulchytsky Serhiy Kulchytsky ( uk, Кульчицький Сергій Петрович; 17 December 1963 – 29 May 2014) was head of the military and special training directorate at Ukraine's National Guard. Gen Kulchytsky was killed during the Siege of S ...

was killed during the Siege of Sloviansk, when his helicopter was shot down by separatists. 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. 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 The ''Kyiv Post'' is the oldest English-language newspaper in Ukraine, founded in October 1995 by Jed Sunden. History American Jed Sunden founded the ''Kyiv Post'' weekly newspaper on Oct. 18, 1995 and later created KP Media for his holdings. ...

'', many of the protesters were former Internal Troops who had clashed with

Euromaidan Euromaidan (; uk, Євромайдан, translit=Yevromaidan, lit=Euro Square, ), or the Maidan Uprising, was a wave of Political demonstration, demonstrations and civil unrest in Ukraine, which began on 21 November 2013 with large protes ...

protesters, and that they were not in favour of that movement or the new government. Three National Guardsmen died in a riot on 31 August 2015 at the

when a policeman on leave threw a grenade outside the facade. According to official figures, by mid-April 2016, the Interior Ministry and the National Guard have lost 308 personnel since the

war in Donbas War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regula ...

broke out, including 108 from the National Guard's volunteer battalions.

Russo-Ukrainian War

Beginning Thursday, 24 February 2022, the day the Russian Armed Forces invaded Ukraine, the NGU has been active in many of the land battles fought by Ukrainian forces during the current war. In the first day of the war, the Russian Airborne Forces (VDV) attempted an

air assault Air assault is the movement of ground-based military forces by vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft—such as the helicopter—to seize and hold key terrain which has not been fully secured, and to directly engage enemy forces behind ...

on the

Antonov Airport Antonov Airport ( uk, аеропорт «Антонов» ), also known as Hostomel (or Gostomel) Airport ( uk, аеропорт «Гостомель»), is an international cargo airport and testing facility in Ukraine, located near Hostomel ...

in Hostomel, northwest

Kyiv Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the List of European cities by populat ...

, in order to do an air lift and bring more troops and heavier equipment to the capital in a military engagement that became known as the Battle of Antonov Airport. In the initial phases of the assault, the VDV expelled a small garrison of the National Guard and took control of the airport. However, the 4th Rapid Reaction Brigade of the Ukrainian National Guard swiftly reacted by launching an extensive counter-attack, using armored vehicles and artillery, that encircling the unsupported Russian troops and repelled the attack. The airport was captured by a renewed Russian offensive the next day, but the airport was rendered unusable by battle damage. The actions of the 4th Brigade were credited with preventing the quick capitulation of

, and led to the Russian Offensive on Kyiv stalling and eventually withdrawing. 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". But later reports indicated they were captured and locked in a bunker for 30 days. On 6 April, the Ukrainians officially announced the National Guard had retaken and reestablished control over the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. The

Azov Regiment The Special Operations Detachment "Azov" (), also known as the Azov Regiment ( uk, Полк «Азов», translit=Polk "Azov") and formerly the Azov Battalion ( uk, батальйон «Азов», translit=Batalion "Azov"), is a unit of the ...

was heavily involved in the Siege of Mariupol, being one of the primary defenders of the city. The other units of the National Guard defending the city were the . The Azov's origins as a neonazi and 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 Mariupol (, ; uk, Маріу́поль ; russian: Мариу́поль) is a city in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. It is situated on the northern coast ( Pryazovia) of the Sea of Azov, at the mouth of the Kalmius River. Prior to the 2022 Russi ...

and as a ''

casus belli A (; ) is an act or an event that either provokes or is used to justify a war. A ''casus belli'' involves direct offenses or threats against the nation declaring the war, whereas a ' involves offenses or threats against its ally—usually one ...

'' for the invasion itself.

National Guard structure

As of 2017 the National Guard is divided in five Operational-Territorial Commands: * Western Operational-Territorial Command * Northern Operational-Territorial Command * Central Operational-Territorial Command * Eastern Operational-Territorial Command * Southern Operational-Territorial Command A sixth Operational-Territorial Command for

Crimea Crimea, crh, Къырым, Qırım, grc, Κιμμερία / Ταυρική, translit=Kimmería / Taurikḗ ( ) is a peninsula in Ukraine, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, that has been occupied by Russia since 2014. It has a p ...

has been organized only on paper until the peninsula is returned by Russia to Ukraine (currently the Crimean units are under the National Guard of Russia). There are various types of units in the National Guard: * ''Operational'' units are military trained and equipped combat forces. * ''Public Security Protection'' and ''Patrol'' units fulfil police functions * ''Transport'' units guard troop and prisoner convoys * ''Important State Facilities Protection'' units guard Ukrainian state enterprises involved in missile industry, and Ukraine's nuclear industry * ''Independent National Guard'' units contain a mix of operational, patrol and transport units In case that martial law would be declared all National Guard units, with the exception of the units tasked with guard and convoy of individuals taken into custody and the units tasked with diplomatic security of embassies and consulates, would come under the command of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine as auxiliary to the Armed Forces proper. This was applied for the first time during the 2022 Russian invasion when martial law was put in place in the country.

Directly subordinated units

* General Directorate of the National Guard of Ukraine,

** National Guard Headquarters Protection & Support Battalion, Kyiv ** NGU Joint Communication Center, Novi Petrivtsi ** Military Band Service of the National Guard of Ukraine *** Headquarters Band of the General Directorate of the National Guard ** 1st Special Purpose Brigade '' Ivan Bohun'' (formed by expansion of the 8th Operational Purpose Regiment ''Ivan Bohun'' (MU A3028) of the Western OTC of the National Guard based at Kalinivka Airfield, Vinnytsia Oblast. The brigade's MU is A4044. The formation has its dedicated Facebook page, which reports of foreign volunteers joining. Little is known about the brigade, but it is possibly co-located with the Guards Aviation Base of the National Guard (MU A2269) at Oleksandryika Airbase for rapid operational deployment (the brigade's predecessor - the 8th Operational Regiment was based at the Aviation Base's branch at Kalinivka Airfield), or in the city of Krivyi Rih, as the brigade's Chief of Staff has expressed in a TV news coverage his gratitude to the city's Military-Civilian Administration for the help it provided in dealing with supply difficulties. Prominent Ukrainian political commentator and journalist of Priamyi TV channel Taras Berezovets has announced in a vlog on the Pryamyi official YouTube channel, that as a reserve military officer he has been mobilized for service in the brigade, with the formation's insignia clearly visible on his uniform.) ** 4th Rapid Reaction Brigade, Hostomel *** Brigade HQ and HQ Company *** 1st Infantry Battalion *** 2nd Infantry Battalion *** Tank Battalion *** Artillery Battalion *** Anti-aircraft Missile Battalion *** Support Units ** 22nd Diplomatic Missions & Consular Posts of Foreign States Protection Brigade, Kyiv ** National Guard Air Base/Air National Guard of Ukraine, Oleksandriia *** Headquarters & Headquarters Company *** Air Group, Zhuliany Airport ( An-74) *** Helicopter Group, Oleksandriia Airfield (

Mi-8T The Mil Mi-8 (russian: Ми-8, NATO reporting name: Hip) is a medium twin-turbine helicopter, originally designed by the Soviet Union in the 1960s and introduced into the Soviet Air Force in 1968. It is now produced by Russia. In addition to ...

, MSB-2) *** Technical & Operational Battalion *** Airfield Battalion ** 1st Important State Facilities Protection Regiment,

Dnipro Dnipro, previously called Dnipropetrovsk from 1926 until May 2016, is Ukraine's fourth-largest city, with about one million inhabitants. It is located in the eastern part of Ukraine, southeast of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on the Dnieper R ...

, guarding

Yuzhmash The State Factory «Production Union Pivdennyi Machine-Building Plant named after O.M. Makarov», PA Pivdenmash or formerly, PA Yuzhmash ( Ukrainian: Державне підприємство «Виробниче об'єднання Півд� ...

and Dnipro Machine-Building Plant *** Regiment HQ and HQ Company *** 1st Infantry Battalion *** 2nd Infantry Battalion *** 3rd Infantry Battalion *** Unmanned ground vehicle Detachment *** CBRN-defense Detachment ** 2nd Important State Facilities Protection Regiment, Shostka, guarding Shostka State Plant "Impulse" and Shostka State Plant "Zirka" *** Regiment HQ and HQ Company *** 1st Infantry Battalion *** 2nd Infantry Battalion *** 3rd Infantry Battalion *** Unmanned ground vehicle Detachment *** CBRN-defense Detachment ** 4th Protection of Important State Facilities Protection Regiment, Pavlohrad, guarding Pavlohrad Chemical Plant,

Pavlohrad Mechanical Plant Pavlohrad (, ; , ) is a city and municipality in central east Ukraine, located within the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. It serves as the administrative center of Pavlohrad Raion. Its population is approximately . The rivers of Vovcha (runs through th ...

and Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology *** Regiment HQ and HQ Company *** 1st Infantry Battalion *** 2nd Infantry Battalion *** 3rd Infantry Battalion *** Unmanned ground vehicle Detachment *** CBRN-defense Detachment ** 1st Important State Facilities Protection Battalion, Slavutych, guarding the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant ** 2nd Important State Facilities Protection Battalion, Enerhodar, guarding the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant ** 3rd Important State Facilities Protection Battalion,

Netishyn Netishyn ( uk, Нетішин, russian: Нетешин, pl, Niecieszyn) is a city in Shepetivka Raion of Khmelnytskyi Oblast ( province), in the west of Ukraine. It is located on the Horyn River. Netishyn hosts the administration of Netishyn u ...

, guarding the Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant ** 4th Important State Facilities Protection Battalion, Yuzhnoukrainsk, guarding the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant ** 5th Important State Facilities Protection Battalion, Varash, guarding the Rivne Nuclear Power Plant ** Special Forces Detachment "Scorpion", Kyiv, guarding Ukraine's nuclear industry ** Special Forces Anti-terrorism Detachment "Omega", Novi Petrivtsi ** Central Logistic Base ** Central Weapons & Ammunition Storage Base,

Klimentovo Klimentovo is a village situated in Central North Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and ...

** Central Fuel & Lubricants Supply Base,

Zaporizhzhia Zaporizhzhia ( uk, Запоріжжя) or Zaporozhye (russian: Запорожье) is a city in southeast Ukraine, situated on the banks of the Dnieper River. It is the administrative centre of Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Zaporizhzhia has a popula ...

** Military Hospital,

Zolochiv Zolochiv, ( ua, Золочів) may refer to the following places in Ukraine: * Zolochiv, Lviv Oblast, city in Lviv Oblast * Zolochiv, Kharkiv Oblast Zolochiv ( uk, Золочів) is an urban-type settlement in Bohodukhiv Raion, Kharkiv Oblast ...

** National Guard Military Academy of Ukraine,

Western Operational-Territorial Command

The Western Operational-Territorial Command, headquartered in

Lviv Lviv ( uk, Львів) is the largest city in western Ukraine, and the seventh-largest in Ukraine, with a population of . It serves as the administrative centre of Lviv Oblast and Lviv Raion, and is one of the main cultural centres of Ukra ...

, covers the oblasts of

Chernivtsi Chernivtsi ( uk, Чернівці́}, ; ro, Cernăuți, ; see also #Names, other names) is a city in the historical region of Bukovina, which is now divided along the Romania–Ukraine border, borders of Romania and Ukraine, including this ...

Ivano-Frankivsk Ivano-Frankivsk ( uk, Іва́но-Франкі́вськ, translit=Iváno-Frankívśk ), formerly Stanyslaviv ( pl, Stanisławów ; german: Stanislau), is a city located in Western Ukraine. It is the administrative centre of Ivano-Frankivsk Obl ...

, Khmelnytskyi, Rivne, Ternopil, Vinnytsia, Volyn and Zakarpattia. * Western Operational-Territorial Command,

** 2nd National Guard Brigade "

Halychyna Galicia ()"Galicia"
'' Ternopil *** 3rd Infantry Battalion, Rivne *** 4th Infantry Battalion, Uzhhorod *** Support Units, Lviv ** 8th Operational Regiment "

Jaguar The jaguar (''Panthera onca'') is a large cat species and the only living member of the genus ''Panthera'' native to the Americas. With a body length of up to and a weight of up to , it is the largest cat species in the Americas and the thi ...

", Kalynivka *** 1st Operational Battalion *** 2nd Operational Battalion *** 3rd Operational Battalion ** 40th National Guard Regiment, Vinnytsia ** 45th Operational Regiment, Lviv *** 1st Operational Battalion *** 2nd Operational Battalion *** 3rd Operational Battalion ** 50th National Guard Regiment,

*** 3rd Patrol Company, Kalush *** 4th Operational Battalion "Kruk", Ivano-Frankivsk *** 5th Infantry Company,

*** Mountain Patrol Company ** 13th National Guard Battalion, Khmelnitsky ** 32nd National Guard Battalion, Lutsk ** Medical Company (Reserve) ** Spetsnaz Detachment "Vega", Lviv **

Unmanned aerial vehicle An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft without any human pilot, crew, or passengers on board. UAVs are a component of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS), which includes adding a ground-based controlle ...

Group ** Training Center, Staryi Lysets *** Training Battalion

Northern Operational-Territorial Command

The Northern Operational-Territorial Command, headquartered in

, covers the city of Kyiv and the oblasts of

Cherkasy Cherkasy ( uk, Черка́си, ) is a city in central Ukraine. Cherkasy is the capital of Cherkasy Oblast (province), as well as the administrative center of Cherkasky Raion (district) within the oblast. The city has a population of Che ...

Chernihiv Chernihiv ( uk, Черні́гів, , russian: Черни́гов, ; pl, Czernihów, ; la, Czernihovia), is a city and municipality in northern Ukraine, which serves as the administrative center of Chernihiv Oblast and Chernihiv Raion within ...

and

Zhytomyr Zhytomyr ( uk, Жито́мир, translit=Zhytomyr ; russian: Жито́мир, Zhitomir ; pl, Żytomierz ; yi, זשיטאָמיר, Zhitomir; german: Schytomyr ) is a city in the north of the western half of Ukraine. It is the administrative ...

, forming parts of the forces that fought Russia in the current war in its area of operations. * KrAZ Cougar of National Guard

Northern Operational-Territorial Command,

** 1st Presidential Operational Brigade ''" Petro Doroshenko"'', Vyshhorod *** Brigade HQ and HQ Company *** 1st Operational Battalion *** 2nd Operational Battalion *** 3rd Operational Battalion *** Tank Battalion *** Artillery Battalion *** Anti-aircraft Missile Battalion *** Support Units **

25th Public Security Protection Brigade The 25th Public Security Protection Brigade named after Prince Askold ( uk, 25-та бригада охорони громадського порядку імені князя Аскольда) is a division within the Northern Operational-Territor ...

, Kyiv *** Brigade HQ and HQ Company *** NGU National Honor Guard Battalion, Kyiv *** 1st Patrol Battalion, Kyiv *** 2nd Patrol Battalion, Kyiv *** 3rd Patrol Battalion, Kyiv *** 4th Patrol Battalion, Kyiv Poroshenko National Guard of Ukraine Kozak APC-1

Poroshenko National Guard of Ukraine Kozak APC-1

*** 5th Patrol Battalion, Kyiv ** 27th (Transport) Brigade, Kyiv *** 1st Operational Battalion " Kulchytskiy", Kyiv *** 1st (Transport) Battalion, Kyiv *** 2nd (Transport) Battalion, Kyiv *** 3rd (Transport) Battalion,

** 25th National Guard Battalion,

Cherkassy Cherkasy ( uk, Черка́си, ) is a city in central Ukraine. Cherkasy is the capital of Cherkasy Oblast (province), as well as the administrative center of Cherkasky Raion (district) within the oblast. The city has a population of Che ...

** 75th National Guard Battalion,

** Medical Company (Reserve) **

Group ** Training Center, Starye *** Training Battalion

Central Operational-Territorial Command

The Central Operational-Territorial Command, headquartered in

, covers the oblasts of Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad and

Poltava Poltava (, ; uk, Полтава ) is a city located on the Vorskla River in central Ukraine. It is the capital city of the Poltava Oblast (province) and of the surrounding Poltava Raion (district) of the oblast. Poltava is administrative ...

. * Central Operational-Territorial Command,

** 21st Public Order Protection Brigade,

Kryvyi Rih Kryvyi Rih ( uk, Криви́й Ріг , lit. "Curved Bend" or "Crooked Horn"), also known as Krivoy Rog ( Russian: Кривой Рог) is the largest city in central Ukraine, the 7th most populous city in Ukraine and the 2nd largest by area. ...

*** 1st Patrol Battalion,

Kropyvnytskyi Kropyvnytskyi ( uk, Кропивницький, Kropyvnytskyi ) is a city in central Ukraine on the Inhul river with a population of . It is an administrative center of the Kirovohrad Oblast. Over its history, Kropyvnytskyi has changed its na ...

*** 2nd Patrol Battalion, Kryvyi Rih ** 16th Public Order Protection Regiment, Dnipro *** 1st Patrol Battalion *** 2nd Patrol Battalion *** 3rd Patrol Battalion ** 12th National Guard Battalion,

** 14th (Transport) Battalion, Dnipro ** 26th National Guard Battalion, Kremenchug ** Medical Company (Reserve) **

Group

Eastern Operational-Territorial Command

The Eastern Operational-Territorial Command, headquartered in

Kharkiv Kharkiv ( uk, wikt:Харків, Ха́рків, ), also known as Kharkov (russian: Харькoв, ), is the second-largest List of cities in Ukraine, city and List of hromadas of Ukraine, municipality in Ukraine.Kharkiv Kharkiv ( uk, wikt:Харків, Ха́рків, ), also known as Kharkov (russian: Харькoв, ), is the second-largest List of cities in Ukraine, city and List of hromadas of Ukraine, municipality in Ukraine.Donetsk Donetsk ( , ; uk, Донецьк, translit=Donets'k ; russian: Донецк ), formerly known as Aleksandrovka, Yuzivka (or Hughesovka), Stalin and Stalino (see also: cities' alternative names), is an industrial city in eastern Ukraine loc ...

Luhansk Luhansk (, ; uk, Луганськ, ), also known as Lugansk (, ; russian: Луганск, ), is a city in what is internationally recognised as Ukraine, although it is administered by Russia as capital of the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR). ...

and Sumy, and is the frontline command of National Guard forces forward deployed first in the

and then in the subsequent Russian invasion. * Eastern Operational-Territorial Command,

Kharkiv Kharkiv ( uk, wikt:Харків, Ха́рків, ), also known as Kharkov (russian: Харькoв, ), is the second-largest List of cities in Ukraine, city and List of hromadas of Ukraine, municipality in Ukraine.5th Independent National Guard Brigade "Slobozhansky", Kharkiv *** Brigade HQ and HQ Company *** 1st Infantry Battalion *** 2nd Infantry Battalion *** 3rd Infantry Battalion *** 4th Infantry Battalion *** Support Units ** 15th National Guard Regiment, Sloviansk *** Headquarters and HQ Company *** 1st Infantry Battalion ** 18th Operational Regiment (Reinforced),

*** Regimental HQ and HQ Company *** 1st Patrol Battalion *** 2nd Special Purpose Battalion "Donbas", Mariupol *** Special Purpose Reinforced Battalion "Azov", Mariupol *** Special Patrol Company, Mariupol *** Support Company ** 11th National Guard Battalion, Sumy ** Medical Company (Reserve) ** Special Forces Intelligence Detachment "Ares",

Kharkiv Kharkiv ( uk, wikt:Харків, Ха́рків, ), also known as Kharkov (russian: Харькoв, ), is the second-largest List of cities in Ukraine, city and List of hromadas of Ukraine, municipality in Ukraine.Unmanned aerial vehicle An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft without any human pilot, crew, or passengers on board. UAVs are a component of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS), which includes adding a ground-based controlle ...

Group ** Training Center, Malinivka *** Training Battalion

Southern Operational-Territorial Command

Fast roping down a Ukrainian National Guard Mil Mi-8 helicopter

The Southern Operational-Territorial Command, headquartered in

Odesa Odesa (also spelled Odessa) is the third most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city and List of hromadas of Ukraine, municipality in Ukraine and a major seaport and transport hub located in the south-west of the country, on the northwestern sho ...

, covers the oblasts of

, Kherson,

Mykolaiv Mykolaiv ( uk, Миколаїв, ) is a city and municipality in Southern Ukraine, the administrative center of the Mykolaiv Oblast. Mykolaiv city, which provides Ukraine with access to the Black Sea, is the location of the most downriver bri ...

and

. During the ongoing Russian invasion, the NGU Southern Command is responsible for all National Guard forces forward deployed in Southern Ukraine. * Southern Operational-Territorial Command,

** 23rd Public Order Protection Brigade,

*** Brigade HQ and HQ Company *** 1st Patrol Battalion, Zaporizhzhia *** 2nd Patrol Battalion, Melitopol *** 3rd Patrol Battalion, Berdiansk *** 4th Patrol Battalion, Enerhodar ** 9th Operational Regiment " Gepard", Zaporizhzhia *** HQ and HQ Company *** 1st Operational Battalion *** 2nd Operational Battalion *** 3rd Operational Battalion ** 19th Public Order Protection Regiment,

*** 1st Patrol Battalion *** 2nd Patrol Battalion *** 3rd Patrol Battalion ** 49th Public Order Protection Regiment, Odesa *** 1st Patrol Battalion, Odesa *** 2nd Patrol Battalion,

Bolhrad Bolhrad ( uk, Болгра́д, Bolhrad, ; bg, Болград, Bolgrad; ro, Bolgrad, Gagauz: ''Bolgrad''), is a small city in Odesa Oblast (province) of southwestern Ukraine, in the historical region of Budjak. It is the administrative center o ...

*** 3rd Patrol Battalion,

Izmail Izmail (, , translit. ''Izmail,'' formerly Тучков ("Tuchkov"); ro, Ismail or ''Smil''; pl, Izmaił, bg, Исмаил) is a city and municipality on the Danube river in Odesa Oblast in south-western Ukraine. It serves as the administ ...

*** 4th Operational Battalion, Odesa ** 16th National Guard Battalion, Kherson ** 19th (Transport) Battalion, Zaporizhzhia ** 34th (Transport) Battalion, Odesa ** Medical Company (Reserve) ** Spetsnaz Detachment "Odesa",

Group

Historic structure

At the end of 1992, six divisions were formed: *1st (

) Division – Kyiv, Zhytomyr *2nd (East) Division – Kharkiv, Chuhuiv, Luhansk *3rd (South) Division – Odesa, Kharkiv, Simferopol, Sevastopol, Mykolaiv, Kherson *4th (North) Division – Donetsk, Dnipro, Mariupol, Pavlohrad, Kryvyi Rih *5th (West) Division – Lviv, Lutsk, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil, Drohobych *6th Division – Chuhuiv (formed from the 48th Motor Rifle Division and became the

92nd Mechanized Brigade The 92nd Assault Brigade "Ivan Sirko" ( uk, 92-га окрема штурмова бригада, translit=92 okrema shturmova bryhada), abbreviated 92 OShBr (), is a formation of the Ukrainian Ground Forces. Its honorific name is after Cossack ...

in 1999) *7th (Crimean) Division – Simferopol (from 1996 – formed from 126th Motor Rifle Division) Other elements included, at various times: * Academy of the Internal Troops *School for senior NCO (Kharkiv) *Training Brigade –

Lviv region Lviv Oblast ( uk, Льві́вська о́бласть, translit=Lvivska oblast, ), also referred to as Lvivshchyna ( uk, Льві́вщина, ), ). The name of each oblast is a relational adjective—in English translating to a noun adjunct wh ...

*Training Regiment –

Donetsk Donetsk ( , ; uk, Донецьк, translit=Donets'k ; russian: Донецк ), formerly known as Aleksandrovka, Yuzivka (or Hughesovka), Stalin and Stalino (see also: cities' alternative names), is an industrial city in eastern Ukraine loc ...

*''Novorossiysk-Kyiv Separate Guards Regiment'' (Presidential Guard unit) *22nd Separate Guards brigade for the protection of foreign embassies – Kyiv *Logistics Regiment – Kyiv. *Aviation Management NSU *''Separate Tank Battalion 1st Division NSU'' (

PT-76 The PT-76 is a Soviet amphibious light tank that was introduced in the early 1950s and soon became the standard reconnaissance tank of the Soviet Army and the other Warsaw Pact armed forces. It was widely exported to other friendly states, lik ...

) *''1st Tank Battalion'' ndependent tank battalion (T-64B)">T-64B.html" ;"title="ndependent tank battalion (T-64B">ndependent tank battalion (T-64B)*''Separate reconnaissance Airborne company'', assigned to the 6th Division NSU *Special battalion "Lavender" – Mountain Troops reconnaissance battalion Under the pre-2000 structure, the National Guard administratively came under the Ministry of Internal Affairs but operationally answered directly to the President of Ukraine, though prior to 1995 parliament had some operational oversight. In the 2014 structure, it reports both administratively and operationally to the Minister of Internal Affairs, a position at present held by

Arsen Avakov Arsen Borysovych Avakov hy, Արսեն Բորիսի Ավակով (born 2 January 1964) is a Ukrainian politician and businessman. From 2014 to 2021 he was Ukraine's Minister of Internal Affairs, first being appointed in the first cabinet of ...

. In the old NSU, its overall Commander was originally appointed by the Presidium of the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) for 5-year terms. His Deputy Commander was appointed to the post by the President of Ukraine upon a submission from the Commander. However, in 1995 the system was changed so that both the Commander and Deputy Commander would be appointed by the President. Also part of the NSU was the ''Military Council'', which approved the personal staff of the President of Ukraine based on submissions from the Commander, and the ''Department of National Guard'', an administrative entity acting in accordance with the terms of reference approved by the President of Ukraine. This included the Guard's secondary Disaster management role.

2014 organisation and structure

As of late March 2014, it was still in flux. However, current developments suggest that the 'new' National Guard will primarily be a

Light infantry Light infantry refers to certain types of lightly equipped infantry throughout history. They have a more mobile or fluid function than other types of infantry, such as heavy infantry or line infantry. Historically, light infantry often fought ...

force, heavily reliant on reserve units with a few mechanized and armor support elements. This is in contrast to the 'old' National Guard, which was mostly a

Mechanized infantry Mechanized infantry are infantry units equipped with armored personnel carriers (APCs) or infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) for transport and combat (see also mechanized force). As defined by the United States Army The United States A ...

force, albeit one that incorporated a number of specialized formations and units, along with organic armor, artillery and air support elements. The first of the new National Guard's regular battalions formally paraded on 6 April, after only three weeks of training. The unidentified battalion consists of 500 members of between 18 and 55 years of age, and it appears to be tasked as a rapid reaction force, using soft skinned vehicles such as trucks for transport. The commander of the National Guard of Ukraine is appointed by the president since 25 December 2015. Up until then, the commander was appointed by the

(Ukraine's parliament) under a motion from the President.Turchynov proposes parliament appoint Poltorak as National Guard commander

Interfax-Ukraine The Interfax-Ukraine ( uk, Інтерфакс-Україна) is a Kyiv-based Ukraine, Ukrainian independent news agency founded in 1992. The company does not belong to the Russian news corporation Interfax Information Services. The company pub ...

(19 March 2014)

4th Rapid Reaction Brigade

The 4th Rapid Reaction Brigade was formed as part of the National Guard on 2 June 2015. The unit was created in order to create a model in order to turn the National Guard into a fully professionalized army. Thus, is one of the National Guard's top units, having assault battalions, a tank battalion and an artillery squadron, and receiving superior training and equipment. The unit was trained by foreign military advisers and veterans and organized with

NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...

standards.

Azov Battalion

Named after the Sea of Azov, the unit was created in

which is a major coastal city and operates as the capital of Donetsk Oblast due to the occupations of

by insurgents. The unit was one of the first battalions to form and begin to resist the rebels, playing a large role in the defence of

. The battalion is mostly composed of Russian-speaking volunteers from Eastern Ukraine and initially was headed by Andriy Biletsky. The unit is known for far right agenda and has been reported as displaying Nazi symbols. The unit denies the allegation that they use Nazi symbols, claiming that their logo is based on the Coat of Arms of Ukraine while elements of the national flag are also used. In 2014, a spokesman for the regiment said around 10–20% of the unit were neo-Nazis. It was upgraded into a full regiment in 2015, and is the only one with foreign soldiers in its ranks. It is also the NG's only territorial defence regiment in service, having fought with distinction in both the Donbas War and the current Russian invasion.

Donbas Battalion

The most well-known and first volunteer battalion to form to resist Russian insurgents in the Donbas, often referred to as the "little black men" as an analog to Crimea's Little green men. The unit was conceived and is headed by Semen Semenchenko, an ethnic Ukrainian. It formed from local ethnic Russian volunteers of the Donbas region who disagreed with the separatist philosophy and wished to remain part of Ukraine but were dissatisfied with the inaction of Ukrainian government forces in the area. In effect it is an analog of the separatist formed Vostok Battalion which formed from ethnic Russians fighting for separatism. Since its formation the unit became much more diverse accepting volunteers from all over Ukraine and foreign nations into their ranks, however ethnic Russians still make up the majority of the unit. The unit is one of the largest volunteer battalions in Ukraine with nearly 1,000 members and has participated in most major battles since the start of the

. Despite being part of the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ National Guard unit, battalion had received funding from various donors. The unit also aided in the defence of

when Russian forces invaded through Novoazovsk, the battalion sent several tank destroyers to slow the Russian advance. The offensive toward Mariupol was halted near Shyrokyne and Bezimenne. In September 2014 the unit was reorganized into a Regiment the bulk of which consisted of a 700-man Battalion Tactical Group. The Ministry of Defence stated that the unit would be armed with tanks and armored personnel carriers. A Spetsnaz unit within the battalion was also formed. The unit has been re-designated as the 3rd Reserve Battalion of the National Guard of Ukraine after being integrated into regular forces, but the Spetsnaz company remained.

Commanders

Standard of the Commander-in-Chief of the National Guard of Ukraine

* 1991–1995 Lieutenant General Volodymyr Kukharets * 1995–1996 Lieutenant General Oleksandr Kuzmuk * 1996–1998 Lieutenant General Ihor Valkiv * 1998–2000 Lieutenant General Oleksandr Chapovsky * 2000–2014 transferred to the Commander of Internal Troops * 2014 Lieutenant General Stepan Poltorak * 2014–2015 Lieutenant General

Mykola Balan Lieutenant General Mykola Ivanovych Balan ( uk, Микола Іванович Балан) is a Ukrainian military official. He was commander of the National Guard of Ukraine. Biography Balan is a native of western Ukraine who in 1992 graduated ...

(acting) * 2015–2019 Colonel General Yurii Allerov * 2019–2022 Lieutenant General

Shooting in Dnipro: Zelensky officially fired the commander of the National Guard

TSN TSN may refer to: Science and technology * Translin, DNA binding protein involved in microRNA function * Taxonomic serial number, a stable and unique taxonomic serial number issued by the Integrated Taxonomic Information System * The Science Netwo ...

(27 January 2022) * 2022– General

Yuriy Lebid Yury, Yuri, Youri, Yurii, Yuriy, Yurij, Iurii or Iouri is the Slavic (russian: Юрий, Yuriy, or uk, Юрій, Yuriy, or bg, Юрий, Jurij, or be, Юры, Jury) form of the masculine given name George; it is derived directly from the Gre ...

(acting)

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. 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. National Guard of Ukraine badge

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

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

Ranks and insignia

Officers Other Ranks and NCOs

Long Service Medal

File:Медаль «Ветеран служби» (НГУ).png, 25 years in service File:ЕСКІЗ відомчої заохочувальної відзнаки Національної гвардії України 03.png, 20 years in service File:ЕСКІЗ відомчої заохочувальної відзнаки Національної гвардії України 02.png, 15 years in service File:ЕСКІЗ відомчої заохочувальної відзнаки Національної гвардії України 01.png, 10 years in service

Equipment

Notes

References

External links and further reading

* *
National Guard recruitment webpage, operated by the Ministry of Internal Affairs
(In Ukrainian). Accessed 29 March 2014.
Spetsnaz NGU
Unofficial website. * Taras Kuzio, "The non‐military security forces of Ukraine." The '' Journal of Slavic Military Studies'' 13, no. 4 (2000): 29–56. {{authority control Military of Ukraine Law enforcement agencies of Ukraine Counterinsurgency organizations Emergency management in Ukraine 1991 establishments in Ukraine Military units and formations established in 1991 Military units and formations disestablished in 2000 2000 disestablishments in Ukraine 2014 establishments in Ukraine Military units and formations established in 2014 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine War in Donbas Institutions with the title of National in Ukraine

Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian invas ...