The Special Honor Guard Battalion ( uk, Спеціальний батальйон почесної варти) is a ceremonial

honor guard A guard of honour ( GB), also honor guard ( US), also ceremonial guard, is a group of people, usually military in nature, appointed to receive or guard a head of state or other dignitaries, the fallen in war, or to attend at state ceremonials, ...

of the

National Guard of Ukraine The National Guard of Ukraine (NGU; uk, Націона́льна гва́рдія Украї́ни, Natsionalna hvardiia Ukrainy, , ) is the Ukrainian national gendarmerie and Internal Troops, internal military force. It is part of the Minist ...

. It is subordinated to the

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 ...

. It serves a similar purpose to the Honor Guard Battalion of the Independent Presidential Regiment.

History

The unit was originally formed as part of the National Guard in 1993. The order to create an honor guard unit of the Internal Troops came in February 1999, by the Commander of Internal Troops. On December 17, 1999, by Decree of the

President of Ukraine The president of Ukraine ( uk, Президент України, Prezydent Ukrainy) is the head of state of Ukraine. The president represents the nation in international relations, administers the foreign political activity of the state, condu ...

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 ...

, the battalion was transferred from the command of the National Guard of Ukraine to 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 ...

.The Honor Guard Battalion of the Internal Troops of Ukraine was officially founded on February 4, 2004. In 2014, it became a battalion of the

, of the newly restored

Activities

The battalion has participated in almost a hundred of events, including parades during

Victory Day Victory Day is a commonly used name for public holidays in various countries, where it commemorates a nation's triumph over a hostile force in a war or the liberation of a country from hostile occupation. In many cases, multiple countries may ob ...

and

Independence Day An independence day is an annual event commemorating the anniversary of a nation's independence or statehood, usually after ceasing to be a group or part of another nation or state, or more rarely after the end of a military occupation. Man ...

, the Day of the National Guard, as well as various international events. The only major parade on

Maidan Nezalezhnosti Maidan Nezalezhnosti ( uk, Майдан Незалежності , literally "Independence Square") is the central square of Kyiv, the capital city of Ukraine. One of the city's main squares, it is located on Khreshchatyk Street in the Shevchen ...

it took part in was the parade in honor of the 70th Anniversary of the Liberation of Kyiv in 2013.

Public duties at the Verkhovna Rada

On a daily basis, soldiers of the unit take part in the ceremonial of the guard changing and flag raising ceremony near the

Verkhovna Rada building The Verkhovna Rada building ( uk, Будинок Верховної Ради, romanized: ''Budynok Verkhovnoi Rady'') is located in the center of Kyiv, the Pecherskyi District. The building is located at the Constitution Square. It is the plac ...

on the Constitution Square. Honor guards from the battalion are posted at the building from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm on weekends and holidays. In the winter, the guard will change every hour; and in the summer; every two hours. On March 1, 2020, the first ceremony was held to commemorate this tradition.

Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine ( uk, Голова Верховної Ради України, Holova Verkhovnoi Rady Ukrainy) is the presiding officer of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's unicameral parliament. The chairman presides ...

Dmytro Razumkov Dmytro Oleksandrovych Razumkov ( ua, Дмитро Олександрович Разумков; born 8 October 1983) is a Ukrainian politician and former Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada (from August 2019 to 7 October 2021). Previously he was leader ...

and

Minister of Internal Affairs Minister may refer to: * Minister (Christianity), a Christian cleric ** Minister (Catholic Church) * Minister (government), a member of government who heads a ministry (government department) ** Minister without portfolio, a member of government w ...

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 ...

. They are posted at the side of the building where four National Guard officers were killed on August 31, 2015.

Structure

* Battalion HQ and HQ Company * National Guard of Ukraine Honor Guard Band *

Color Guard In Military, military organizations, a colour guard (or color guard) is a detachment of soldiers assigned to the protection of Colours, standards and guidons, regimental colours and the national flag. This duty is so prestigious that the militar ...

* 1st Honor Guard Company * 2nd Honor Guard Company * 3rd Honor Guard Company * Training Company * Automotive Company * Support Company

Photographs

File:Special Honor Guard of the National Guard of Ukraine 04.jpg, File:Special Honor Guard of the National Guard of Ukraine 03.jpg, An officer of the battalion. File:Special Honor Guard of the National Guard of Ukraine 05.jpg, The

. File:Participation in the events on the Day of the State Flag 01.jpg, Members of the guard on the Day of the National Flag in 2019. File:Почесна варта (2020-03-01).jpg, The three-man guard headed to Constitution Square.

Videos

An exhibition drill performanceЗ Днем Незалежності, Україно!Нова традиція: церемоніали Почесної варти НГУ під стінами Верховної Ради у вихідні та святкові дні

References

{{reflist Military of Ukraine 1993 establishments in Ukraine Military units and formations established in 1993 Ukrainian ceremonial units Gendarmerie battalions Guards of honour Units and formations of the National Guard of Ukraine