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 An interior ministry (sometimes called a ministry of internal affairs or ministry of home affairs) is a government department that is responsible for internal affairs. Lists of current ministries of internal affairs Named "ministry" * Ministry ...

, responsible for

public security Public security or public safety is the prevention of and protection from events that could endanger the safety and security of the public from significant danger, injury, or property damage. It is often conducted by a state government to ensur ...

. 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 Ukraine emerged as the concept of a nation, and the Ukrainians as a nationality, with the Ukrainian National Revival which began in the late 18th and early 19th century. The first wave of national revival is traditionally connected with the publ ...

. It was later disbanded and merged into the

Internal Troops of Ukraine The Internal Troops of Ukraine ( uk, Внутрішні війська України, - Interior Forces of Ukraine; Russian: Внутренние войска Украины, ''Vnutrenniye Voyska Ukrainy''), abbreviated ВВ 'VV') were a unif ...

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 corru ...

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 so as to offer such military capability as a national defense policy may require. In some countries paramilitary forces are included in a natio ...

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

. The NGU has sent personnel to UN peacekeeping missions. During peacetime the National Guard focuses on civilian

: 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 th ...

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 regular o ...

and the

2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. It has caused Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. A ...

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 The Internal Troops of the Ministry for Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation (VV; russian: Внутренние войска Министерства внутренних дел (ВВ), ''Vnutrenniye Voiska Ministerstva Vnutrennikh Del'' ...

in the

Ukrainian SSR The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic ( uk, Украї́нська Радя́нська Соціалісти́чна Респу́бліка, ; russian: Украи́нская Сове́тская Социалисти́ческая Респ ...

, the

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 A border guard of a country is a national security agency that performs border security. Some of the national border guard agencies also perform coast guard (as in Germany, Italy or Ukraine) and rescue service duties. Name and uniform In ...

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. The National Guard was sent to restore order and Ukrainian sovereignty over Crimea. On 1995, there were already calls for the dissolution of the National Guard by political opponents of the then-president

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 Petr ...

, 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

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

, with plans for the " Volunteer Battalions",

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 4393dated 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 Viktor Andriyovych Yushchenko ( uk, Віктор Андрійович Ющенко, ; born 23 February 1954) is a Ukrainian politician who was the third president of Ukraine from 23 January 2005 to 25 February 2010. As an informal leader of th ...

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 The legal system of Ukraine is based on the framework of civil law, and belongs to the Romano-Germanic legal tradition. The main source of legal information is codified law. Customary law and case law are not as common, though case law is of ...

(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 column A fifth column is any group of people who undermine a larger group or nation from within, usually in favor of an enemy group or another nation. According to Harris Mylonas and Scott Radnitz, "fifth columns" are “domestic actors who work to un ...

ists 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 The Donbas or Donbass (, ; uk, Донба́с ; russian: Донба́сс ) is a historical, cultural, and economic region in eastern Ukraine. Parts of the Donbas are controlled by Russian separatist groups as a result of the Russo-Ukrai ...

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 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 ...

and

paramilitary groups A paramilitary is an organization whose structure, tactics, training, subculture, and (often) function are similar to those of a professional military, but is not part of a country's official or legitimate armed forces. Paramilitary units car ...

, known as the " Volunteer Battalions", 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

Two of them were the

Azov Azov (russian: Азов), previously known as Azak, is a town in Rostov Oblast, Russia, situated on the Don River just from the Sea of Azov, which derives its name from the town. Population: History Early settlements in the vicinity The mout ...

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 broadc ...

(13 December 2014) On May, the National Guard saw one of its first combat operations at the First Battle of Mariupol, 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 parachute into a military operation, and usually functioning as part of an airborne force. Military parachutists (troops) and parachutes were first used on a large scale during Worl ...

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 ...

Serhiy Kulchytsky was killed during the

Siege of Sloviansk The siege of Sloviansk was an operation by the Armed Forces of Ukraine to recapture the city of Sloviansk in Donetsk Oblast from pro-Russian insurgents who had seized it on 12 April 2014. The city was taken back on 5 July 2014 after shelling ...

, when his helicopter was shot down by separatists. On early June, a

Border Guard A border guard of a country is a national security agency that performs border security. Some of the national border guard agencies also perform coast guard (as in Germany, Italy or Ukraine) and rescue service duties. Name and uniform In d ...

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 The Internal Troops, full name Internal Troops of the Ministry for Internal Affairs (MVD) (russian: Внутренние войска Министерства внутренних дел, Vnutrenniye Voiska Ministerstva Vnutrennikh Del; abbreviat ...

who had clashed with

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

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 regular o ...

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 The Russian Airborne Forces (russian: Воздушно-десантные войска России, ВДВ, Vozdushno-desantnye voyska Rossii, VDV) are the airborne forces branch of the Russian Armed Forces. It was formed in 1992 from units of ...

(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, w ...

Hostomel Hostomel ( uk, Гостомель, ) is a city in Bucha Raion, Kyiv Oblast, northwest of the capital city of Kyiv. It hosts the administration of Hostomel settlement hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. The population of the settlement is app ...

, northwest

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

, 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 The Battle of Antonov Airport, also known as the Battle of Hostomel Airport, was a military engagement which occurred at the Hostomel Airport, Antonov Airport in Hostomel, Kyiv Oblast, during the Kyiv offensive (2022), Kyiv offensive of the 2022 ...

. 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 During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone was captured on 24 February (the first day of the invasion) by the Russian Armed Forces, who entered Ukrainian territory from neighbouring Belarus and seized the entire ...

. 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 Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (ChNPP; ; ), is a nuclear power plant undergoing decommissioning. ChNPP is located near the abandoned city of Pripyat in northern Ukraine northwest of the city of Chernobyl, from the Belarus–Ukraine borde ...

. 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 The siege of Mariupol began on 24 February 2022 and lasted until 20 May 2022, as part of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. It saw fighting between the Russian Armed Forces (alongside the Donetsk People's Militia) and the Ukrainian Armed Fo ...

, 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 Neo-Nazism comprises the post– World War II militant, social, and political movements that seek to revive and reinstate Nazi ideology. Neo-Nazis employ their ideology to promote hatred and racial supremacy (often white supremacy), attack ...

and

ultranationalist Ultranationalism or extreme nationalism is an extreme form of nationalism in which a country asserts or maintains detrimental hegemony, supremacy, or other forms of control over other nations (usually through violent coercion) to pursue its sp ...

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 Russia ...

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 The National Guard of the Russian Federation (russian: Федеральная служба войск национальной гвардии Российской Федерации , translit = Federal'naya sluzhba voysk natsional'noy gvard ...

). 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 Nuclear power is the use of nuclear reactions to produce electricity. Nuclear power can be obtained from nuclear fission, nuclear decay and nuclear fusion reactions. Presently, the vast majority of electricity from nuclear power is produced ...

* ''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 Ministry may refer to: Government * Ministry (collective executive), the complete body of government ministers under the leadership of a prime minister * Ministry (government department), a department of a government Religion * Christian mi ...

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 Ivan Bohun ( ua, Іван Богун) (died 1664) was a Ukrainian Cossack colonel. Close associate and friend of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, he opposed both the pacts with Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth ( Treaty of Hadiach of 1658) and with Tsardom ...

'' (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 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. Kr ...

, 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,

*** 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 Oleksandriia () is a city located in Oleksandriia Raion, Kirovohrad Oblast (region) in central Ukraine. Administratively, Oleksandriia serves as the administrative center of Oleksandriia Raion (district). Oleksandriia also hosts the administra ...

*** Headquarters & Headquarters Company *** Air Group, Zhuliany Airport (

An-74 The Antonov An-74 (NATO reporting name: Coaler) is a Soviet/Ukrainian transport aircraft developed by Antonov. It is a variant of the An-72. The An-72 and An-74 get their nickname, , from the large engine intake ducts, which resemble the overs ...

) *** Helicopter Group, Oleksandriia Airfield ( Mi-8T, 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 Rive ...

, 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 Півде ...

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 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 t ...

, guarding

Pavlohrad Chemical Plant Pavlohrad (, ; , ) is a List of cities in Ukraine, city and List of hromadas of Ukraine, municipality in central east Ukraine, located within the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. It serves as the administrative center of Pavlohrad Raion. Its population i ...

, Pavlohrad Mechanical Plant and

Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology The National Science Center Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology (KIPT) ( uk, Національний науковий центр «Харківський фізико-технічний інститут»), formerly the Ukrainian Physics ...

*** 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

** 2nd Important State Facilities Protection Battalion,

Enerhodar Enerhodar (; uk, Енергода́р, translit=Enerhodár, , ; russian: Энергодар, translit=Energodar, literally 'energy giver') is a city and municipality in the north-western part of the Zaporizhzhia Oblast in Ukraine, currently unde ...

, guarding the

Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station ( uk, Запорізька атомна електростанція, translit=Zaporiz'ka atomna elektrostantsiya, russian: Запорожская атомная электростанция, Zaporozhskaya ...

** 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 The Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant is a nuclear power plant in Netishyn, Khmelnytskyi, Ukraine. The plant is operated by Energoatom. Two VVER-1000 reactors are operational, each generating 1000 MW (net) of electricity. Construction of the first ...

** 4th Important State Facilities Protection Battalion,

Yuzhnoukrainsk Yuzhnoukrainsk (, ) is a city on the Southern Bug river, in Voznesensk Raion, Mykolaiv Oblast, Ukraine, about 350 kilometers (over 200 miles) south of the capital Kyiv. It hosts the administration of Yuzhnoukrainsk urban hromada, one of the hro ...

, guarding the

South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant The South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant ( uk, Південноукраїнська АЕС), also known as the Pivdennoukrainsk Nuclear Power Plant, is a nuclear power plant in Ukraine, near the city of Yuzhnoukrainsk in Mykolaiv Oblast, about sou ...

** 5th Important State Facilities Protection Battalion, Varash, guarding the

Rivne Nuclear Power Plant The Rivne Nuclear Power Plant ( uk, Рівненська АЕС), also called Rovno is a nuclear power plant in Varash, Rivne Oblast, Ukraine. The Rivne Nuclear Power Station were the first VVER-400 reactors to be constructed in Ukraine. As the ...

** Special Forces Detachment "Scorpion", Kyiv, guarding Ukraine's

** 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. It is a part of Polski Trambesh Municipality Polski Trambesh Municipality ( bg, Община Полски Тръмбеш) is a municipality ('' obshtina'') in Veliko Tarnovo Province, C ...

** 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 populat ...

** Military Hospital, Zolochiv **

National Guard Military Academy of Ukraine The National Guard Military Academy of Ukraine () is an institution of the National Guard of Ukraine, located in Kharkiv. It is the successor to the former Academy of Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine. Officers and NCO ...

Kharkiv Kharkiv ( uk, Ха́рків, ), also known as Kharkov (russian: Харькoв, ), is the second-largest city and municipality in Ukraine.

** National Guard of Ukraine Training Center, Zolochiv Paratroopers and Ukrainian national guard soldiers conduct squad live-fire training

Western Operational-Territorial Command

The Western Operational-Territorial Command, headquartered in

Lviv Lviv ( uk, Львів) is the largest city in Western Ukraine, western Ukraine, and the List of cities in Ukraine, seventh-largest in Ukraine, with a population of . It serves as the administrative centre of Lviv Oblast and Lviv Raion, and is o ...

, covers the oblasts of

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

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 Ob ...

Khmelnytskyi Khmelnytskyi ( uk, Хмельни́цький, Khmelnytskyi, ), until 1954 Proskuriv ( uk, Проску́рів, links=no ), is a city in western Ukraine, the administrative center for Khmelnytskyi Oblast (region) and Khmelnytskyi Raion (dist ...

Rivne Rivne (; uk, Рівне ),) also known as Rovno (Russian: Ровно; Polish: Równe; Yiddish: ראָוונע), is a city in western Ukraine. The city is the administrative center of Rivne Oblast ( province), as well as the surrounding Rivne ...

Ternopil Ternópil ( uk, Тернопіль, Ternopil' ; pl, Tarnopol; yi, טאַרנאָפּל, Tarnopl, or ; he, טארנופול (טַרְנוֹפּוֹל), Tarnopol; german: Tarnopol) is a city in the west of Ukraine. Administratively, Terno ...

, Vinnytsia,

Volyn Volhynia (also spelled Volynia) ( ; uk, Воли́нь, Volyn' pl, Wołyń, russian: Волы́нь, Volýnʹ, ), is a historic region in Central and Eastern Europe, between south-eastern Poland, south-western Belarus, and western Ukraine. The ...

and Zakarpattia. * Western Operational-Territorial Command,

** 2nd National Guard Brigade " Halychyna", Lviv *** 1st Infantry Battalion, Lviv *** 2nd Infantry Battalion,

*** 3rd Infantry Battalion,

*** 4th Infantry Battalion,

Uzhhorod Uzhhorod ( uk, У́жгород, , ; ) is a city and municipality on the river Uzh in western Ukraine, at the border with Slovakia and near the border with Hungary. The city is approximately equidistant from the Baltic, the Adriatic and the ...

*** 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 th ...

", 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 Khmelnytskyi ( uk, Хмельни́цький, Khmelnytskyi, ), until 1954 Proskuriv ( uk, Проску́рів, links=no ), is a city in western Ukraine, the administrative center for Khmelnytskyi Oblast (region) and Khmelnytskyi Raion (dist ...

** 32nd National Guard Battalion,

Lutsk Lutsk ( uk, Луцьк, translit=Lutsk}, ; pl, Łuck ; yi, לוצק, Lutzk) is a city on the Styr River in northwestern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Volyn Oblast (province) and the administrative center of the surrounding Lu ...

** Medical Company (Reserve) **

Spetsnaz Spetsnaz are special forces in numerous post-Soviet states. (The term is borrowed from rus, спецназ, p=spʲɪtsˈnas; abbreviation for or 'Special Purpose Military Units'; or .) Historically, the term ''spetsnaz'' referred to the ...

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 controll ...

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 C ...

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 Petro Doroshenko ( uk, Петро Дорофійович Дорошенко, russian: Пётр Дорофе́евич Дороше́нко, pl, Piotr Doroszenko; 1627–1698) was a Cossack political and military leader, Hetman of Right-bank Ukr ...

"'',

Vyshhorod Vyshhorod ( uk, Ви́шгород) is a city in Kyiv Oblast (region) in central Ukraine, situated immediately north of Kyiv city, the national capital, and part of the Kyiv metropolitan area. It is on the right (western) bank of the Dnieper r ...

*** 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 C ...

** 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 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 Rive ...

, 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 administrativel ...

. * 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. Kr ...

*** 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 nam ...

*** 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 Kremenchuk (; uk, Кременчу́к, Kremenchuk ) is an industrial city in central Ukraine which stands on the banks of the Dnipro River. The city serves as the administrative center of the Kremenchuk Raion (district) in Poltava Oblast (pro ...

** Medical Company (Reserve) **

Group

Eastern Operational-Territorial Command

The Eastern Operational-Territorial Command, headquartered in

Kharkiv Kharkiv ( uk, Ха́рків, ), also known as Kharkov (russian: Харькoв, ), is the second-largest city and municipality in Ukraine.

, covers the oblasts of

Kharkiv Kharkiv ( uk, Ха́рків, ), also known as Kharkov (russian: Харькoв, ), is the second-largest city and 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). A ...

and

Sumy Sumy ( uk, Суми ) is a city of regional significance in Ukraine, and the capital of Sumy Oblast. The city is situated on the banks of the Psel River in northeastern Ukraine with a population of according to the 2021 census, making it the 23 ...

, 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, Ха́рків, ), also known as Kharkov (russian: Харькoв, ), is the second-largest city and municipality in Ukraine.

** 3rd Operational Brigade, Kharkiv *** Brigade HQ and HQ Company *** 1st Operational Battalion *** 2nd Operational Battalion *** 3rd Operational Battalion *** Tank Battalion *** Artillery Battalion *** Anti-aircraft Missile Battalion *** Support Units ** Azov in Mariupol 9

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 Sloviansk ( uk, Слов'янськ, Sloviansk ; russian: Славянск, Slavyansk or ; prior to 1784 – Tor) is a city in the Kramatorsk district of the Donetsk region of Ukraine, the administrative center of the Slovyansk urban commun ...

*** 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,

** Medical Company (Reserve) ** Special Forces Intelligence Detachment "Ares",

Kharkiv Kharkiv ( uk, Ха́рків, ), also known as Kharkov (russian: Харькoв, ), is the second-largest city and municipality in Ukraine.

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 city and municipality in Ukraine and a major seaport and transport hub located in the south-west of the country, on the northwestern shore of the Black Sea. The city is also the administrati ...

, covers the oblasts of

Kherson Kherson (, ) is a port city of Ukraine that serves as the administrative centre of Kherson Oblast. Located on the Black Sea and on the Dnieper River, Kherson is the home of a major ship-building industry and is a regional economic centre. I ...

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 brid ...

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 Melitopol ( uk, Меліто́поль, translit=Melitópol’, ; russian: Мелитополь; based on el, Μελιτόπολις - "honey city") is a city and municipality in Zaporizhzhia Oblast in southeastern Ukraine. Melitopol has been ...

*** 3rd Patrol Battalion,

Berdiansk Berdiansk or Berdyansk ( uk, Бердя́нськ, translit=Berdiansk, ; russian: Бердя́нск, translit=Berdyansk ) is a port city in the Zaporizhzhia Oblast (province) in south-eastern Ukraine. It is on the northern coast of the Sea of ...

*** 4th Patrol Battalion,

** 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 ...

*** 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 administra ...

*** 4th Operational Battalion, Odesa ** 16th National Guard Battalion,

** 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 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 – Zolochiv, Lviv region *Training Regiment –

*''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 Union, Soviet amphibious vehicle, 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 ...

) *''1st Tank Battalion'' ndependent_tank_battalion_(T-64B).html" ;"title="T-64B.html" ;"title="ndependent tank battalion (T-64B">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 P ...

. 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 Emergency management or disaster management is the managerial function charged with creating the framework within which communities reduce vulnerability to hazards and cope with disasters. Emergency management, despite its name, does not actual ...

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 foug ...

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, mechanized infantry is di ...

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 President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...

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 Ukrainian independent news agency founded in 1992. The company does not belong to the Russian news corporation Interfax Information Services. The company publishes i ...

(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 N ...

standards.

Azov Battalion

Named after the

Sea of Azov The Sea of Azov ( Crimean Tatar: ''Azaq deñizi''; russian: Азовское море, Azovskoye more; uk, Азовське море, Azovs'ke more) is a sea in Eastern Europe connected to the Black Sea by the narrow (about ) Strait of Ker ...

, the unit was created in

which is a major coastal city and operates as the capital of

Donetsk Oblast The Donetsk Oblast ( ukr, Донецька область, Donetska oblast, ), also referred to as Donechchyna ( ukr, Донеччина, links=no), is an oblast of eastern Ukraine. It is Ukraine's most populous province, with around 4.1 mill ...

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 Andriy Yevheniyovych Biletsky ( uk, Андрі́й Євге́нійович Біле́цький, Andríj Jevhénijovyč Biléćký, ; born 5 August 1979) is a Ukrainian far-right politician. He is the leader of political party National Corps. H ...

. 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 The coat of arms of Ukraine is a blue shield with a gold trident. Officially referred to as the ''Emblem of the Royal State of Volodymyr the Great'', or, colloquially, the ''tryzub'' ( uk, тризуб), the insignia derives from the seal-tr ...

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 Little green men is the stereotypical portrayal of extraterrestrials as little humanoid creatures with green skin and sometimes with antennae on their heads. The term is also sometimes used to describe gremlins, mythical creatures known for cau ...

. The unit was conceived and is headed by

Semen Semenchenko Semen Ihorovych Semenchenko ( uk, Семен Ігорович Семенченко) is a former deputy to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, First Deputy Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Committee on National Security and Defence and th ...

, 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 Novoazovsk (, ; rus, Новоазовск}) is a border town on the south-eastern tip of Ukraine (near the border with Russia),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

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 Oleksandr Ivanovych Kuzmuk ( uk, Олекса́ндр Іва́нович Кузьму́к; born 17 April 1954) is a Ukrainian politician and military commander, who is member of the Party of Regions and was Minister of Defence of Ukraine on tw ...

* 1996–1998 Lieutenant General Ihor Valkiv * 1998–2000 Lieutenant General Oleksandr Chapovsky * 2000–2014 transferred to the Commander of

* 2014 Lieutenant General

Stepan Poltorak Stepan Tymofiyovych Poltorak ( uk, Степан Тимофійович Полторак) is a Ukrainian general who served as the Minister of Defence of Ukraine from 14 October 2014 until 29 August 2019. Previously he was the commander of the I ...

* 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 t ...

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

Shooting in Dnipro: Zelensky officially fired the commander of the National Guard
TSN (27 January 2022) * 2022– General Yuriy Lebid (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 A march battalion (french: Bataillon de Marche, , it, Battaglione di marcia or ) is a military unit comprising replacement and support personnel, usually for a regiment or brigade-sized formation. The term rear echelon – especially in the armi ...

system; based where possible around existing civilian militias and armed groupings. Most of those use the

sotnya Sotnia ( Ukrainian and ) was a military unit and administrative division in many Slavic countries. Sotnia, deriving back to 1948, has been used in a variety of contexts in both Ukraine and Russia to this day. It is a helpful word to create sh ...

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 173rd Airborne Brigade ("Sky Soldiers") is an airborne infantry brigade combat team (IBCT) of the United States Army based in Vicenza, Italy. It is the United States European Command's conventional airborne strategic response force for Eu ...

. The training took place at the

Yavoriv Yavoriv ( uk, Яворів, ; pl, Jaworów; yi, יאַוואָראָוו , translit=Yavorov; german: Jaworiw) is a city in the Lviv region of western Ukraine which is around 15 kilometers from the Polish border. It is the administrative centre ...

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 ''The Journal of Slavic Military Studies'' is a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal that publishes articles relating to military affairs of Central and Eastern European Slavic nations, including their history and geopolitics, as well as book ...

'' 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 inva ...

History

Original formation

Badges of the NGU 1991–2000

Reformation

Russo-Ukrainian War

National Guard structure

Directly subordinated units

Western Operational-Territorial Command

Northern Operational-Territorial Command

Central Operational-Territorial Command

Eastern Operational-Territorial Command

Southern Operational-Territorial Command

Historic structure

2014 organisation and structure

4th Rapid Reaction Brigade

Azov Battalion

Donbas Battalion

Commanders

Training

Ranks and insignia

Long Service Medal

Equipment

See also

Notes

References

External links and further reading