Main Directorate of Intelligence (Ukraine) explained

Agency Name:	Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine
Motto:	Latin: Sapiens dominabitur astris (The wise will rule the stars)
Nativename:	Головне управління розвідки Міністерства оборони України
Seal:	Emblem of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine.svg
Preceding1:	GRU
Preceding2:	Military Strategic Intelligence of MOD
Jurisdiction:	Government of Ukraine
Employees:	Classified
Budget:	₴1 billion
Chief1 Name:	Kyrylo Budanov
Chief1 Position:	Lieutenant general
Parent Agency:	Ministry of Defence
Website:	gur.gov.ua

The Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine (Ukrainian: Головне управління розвідки Міністерства оборони України|translit=Holovne upravlinnia rozvidky Ministerstva oborony Ukrainy, abbreviated HUR, GUR or HUR MOU), also known in English as the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU), is the military intelligence service of the Ukrainian government. It is an agency of the Ministry of Defence, not the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

History

The agency was established from the existing intelligence assets of the Kyiv, Odesa and Carpathian military districts of the Soviet Armed Forces and its Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU), following the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the independence of Ukraine.

The Intelligence Directorate of the General Headquarters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was established in February 1992. Based on a presidential decree issued on September 7, 1992, the Strategic Military Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence was created. The existence of two separate agencies with similar responsibilities, and reporting to different authorities, hampered the development of an effective military intelligence system.^{[1] [2]}

On July 6, 1993, the Decree of the President of Ukraine ordered the merging of the two agencies to form the Main Military Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence. It was renamed the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, or Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) for short, on April 4, 1994.^{[2] [1]}

On March 22, 2001, the Ukrainian parliament (Rada) ratified the Law of Ukraine "On Intelligence Agencies of Ukraine". The HUR was given the status of special government authority.^[1]

On August 18, 2021, HUR special forces moved on Il-76MDs from the 25th Transport Aviation Brigade of the Ukrainian Air Force and flew to Kabul with the mission of evacuating citizens of Ukraine and foreigners during the 2021 Kabul airlift. In total, the aircraft of the brigade made six flights and transported more than 700 citizens of different countries. Special forces went to Kabul three times a day to find and bring citizens who were to be evacuated to the Kabul airport.^[3]

On September 20, 2023, CNN reported^[4] that Ukrainian special forces were likely behind multiple attacks on Wagner-backed Rapid Support Forces (RSF) forces in Sudan, using DJI Mavic 3 and first-person view (FPV) drones. In May 2023, HUR Chief Kyrylo Budanov vowed^[5] to “destroy Russian war criminals anywhere in the world, wherever they are.” In March 2024, reports confirmed that HUR operators from the "Timur" unit were actively fighting Wagner and RSF in Sudan.^{[6] [7]}

Emblem

In 2016, the HUR emblem was changed to an illustration of an owl plunging a sword into Russia. The owl has been said to be a tongue-in-cheek reference to the emblem of the Spetsnaz special forces of the Russian GRU, which depicts a bat - a natural prey of the owl.^[8] In addition, the motto "The wise will rule over the stars" (Latin: Sapiens Dominabitur Astris) ostensibly alludes to the GRU's motto "Only the stars are above us" (Russian: Выше нас только звёзды|Vyshe nas tolko zvyozdy). The new emblem was met with outrage from Russian journalists and politicians, including Dmitry Rogozin, and with some calling it a provocation.^[9]

Spheres of activity

The Main Directorate of Intelligence conducts its activity in the military, political, technical, economic, signals, informational and environmental spheres. The major missions of the directorate are:^[10]

• Extracting, analyzing, processing and disseminating information in accordance with the law "On Intelligence"^[11]
• Conducting measures aimed at promoting the realization of the national interests of Ukraine
• Identifying external threats to the national security of Ukraine, and conducting measures against such threats
• Participating in the fight against terrorism and other criminal activities that pose a threat to the national security of Ukraine
• Cooperating with foreign intelligence bodies
• Carrying out other activities defined by law to ensure the national security of Ukraine

Organization

The HUR has an executive office and several agency-wide functions, and five major directorates and departments consisting of the following:

Directorates:

• Strategic Intelligence Directorate
• Armed Forces General Staff Intelligence Support Directorate
• Information Support Directorate
• Personnel Policy Directorate
• Logistic Directorate

Departments:

• Internal Security Department
• Planning Department
• Automation and Communication Department
• Economic and Finance Department
• Information and state secret protection Department

Combat formations

Before the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the only field reconnaissance unit of the HUR was a special unit subordinated to the Directorate's 4th Special Intelligence Service (4-та Служба спеціальної розвідки):

• (10-й окремий загін спеціального призначення, Military Unit А2245), based in Rybalskyi Peninsula, Kyiv
  • Battalion HHC
  • 3 operational companies – 1st – 3rd Special Purpose Company (1 – 3 сотня спеціального призначення)

As of 2024, the units subordinate to the HUR include:

Reconnaissance units under AFU:

• ^[12]
• ^[13]
• ^[14]
• 120th Reconnaissance Regiment^[15]
  • ^[16]
• ^[17]
• ^[18]
• ^[19]
• 143rd Reconnaissance Battalion

Special purpose units under AFU control:

• ^{[20] [21]}
• Special Purpose Unit "Kraken"^[22]
• ^[23]
• Special Purpose Unit "Timur"^[24]
  • ^[25]
  • ^[26]
  • Volunteer Reconnaissance Battalion "Sonechko"^{[27] [28]}
  • Special Purpose Unit "Vidar"^[29]
  • Special Purpose Unit "Aratta" (formerly the 8th Battalion of the Ukrainian Volunteer Army)^[30]
  • "Nobody" Unit^[31]
  • "Chimera" Unit^[32]
  • "Paragon Company" Detachment^[33]
• ^[34]
• ^[35]
• Special Purpose USV Unit "Group 13"^{[36] [37]}
• is a specialized unit part of the International Legion and GUR MO. Comprising primarly of ex-military volunteers from over 50 countries. They have participated in key battles across Ukraine, notably Kyiv, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Sievierodonetsk and Bakhmut. The DIU Legion operates with significant autonomy and relies heavily on self-funding for mission essential equipment.^{[38] [39]}
  • Tactical Group "Athena"^[40]
  • Ronin Team.^[41] Sniper and Reconnaissance company.

Legal basis

The Main Directorate of Intelligence is legally allowed to operate based upon the following documents:^[42]

• The Constitution of Ukraine
• Law of Ukraine "On the National Security of Ukraine", 1991
• Law of Ukraine "On the Defense of Ukraine", 2018
• Law of Ukraine "On Intelligence", 2020
• Law of Ukraine "On Military Duty and Military Service", 1992
• Law of Ukraine "On Central Bodies of Executive Power", 2011
• Law of Ukraine "On Civil Service", 2015
• Law of Ukraine "On International Treaties of Ukraine", 2004
• Law of Ukraine "On the Fight Against Terrorism", 2003
• Law of Ukraine "On Counter-Intelligence Activities", 2002
• Law of Ukraine "On Operational and Investigative Activities", 1992
• Law of Ukraine "On State Secrets", 1994
• Law of Ukraine "On the Social and Legal Protection of Servicemen and Their Families", 1991
• Presidential Decree "On the National Security Strategy of Ukraine", 2020
• Presidential Decree "On the Military Security Strategy of Ukraine", 2021
• Presidential Decree "On Additional Measures to Further Democratize Society and Strengthen Civil Control Over the Activities of Law Enforcement and Intelligence Agencies of Ukraine", 2004
• Presidential Decree "On Ensuring Control over the Activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and Other Military Formations", 2010
• Presidential Decree "On Strengthening Control over the Activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and Other Military Formations", 2015
• Presidential Decree "On the Inter-Agency Commission on the Policy of Military-Technical Cooperation and Export Control", 2007
• Presidential Decree "On Certain Issues of Leadership in the Spheres of National Security and Defense", 2008
• Presidential Decree "On the Regulation of Military Service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine by Citizens of Ukraine", 2008

Directors

• Lieutenant General Oleksandr Skipalskyi (October 16, 1992 – June 9, 1997)

Born in Volyn Oblast 1945. Graduated from the KGB Higher School in 1975.

• Colonel General Ihor Smeshko (June 9, 1997 – September 29, 2000)

Born in Cherkasy Oblast 1955. Graduated from PhD from the National Academy of Defence in 2000.

• Colonel General Viktor Paliy (September 29, 2000 – March 13, 2003)

Born in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast 1949. Graduated from the Military Academy of General Staff of USSR Armed Forces in 1988.

• Colonel (ret.) Oleksandr Halaka (March 13, 2003 – January 17, 2008)

Born in Kharkiv 1955. Graduated from the Military Academy of Ground Forces Air-Defence in 1987 and the Kyiv University in 2000.

• Lieutenant General Viktor Hvozd (January 17, 2008 – August 17, 2010)

Born in Ternopil Oblast 1959. Graduated from the Frunze Military College (Kyiv, 1981), Lviv University (1997), Magistrate of Kyiv University of Law and Economics (2005), Military-Diplomatic Academy (2009).

• Major General Serhiy Hmyza (August 17, 2010 – February 26, 2014)

Born in Odesa Oblast 1960. Graduated Military College in 1981, the Military-Diplomatic Academy in 1991, Ukrainian State University in 2008.

• Major General Yuriy Pavlov (since March 3, 2014 – July 28, 2015)

Born in Lviv Oblast 1962.

• Lieutenant General Valeriy Kondratyuk (July 28, 2015 – October 15, 2016^[43])
• Major General Vasyl Burba (since October 15, 2016^[44] – August 5, 2020)
• Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov (since August 5, 2020)

Notable members

• Maksym Shapoval
• Andriy Yusov, the head of public relations

See also

• Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine
• Security Service of Ukraine
• Other military intelligence agencies
  • Glavnoye Razvedyvatel'noye Upravleniye (GRU – Russian Military Intelligence)
  • Direction du Renseignement Militaire (France)
  • Defence Intelligence Agency (India)
  • Strategic Intelligence Agency (Indonesia)
  • Military Intelligence and Security Service (Netherlands)
  • Defence Intelligence and the Intelligence Corps (UK)
  • Defense Intelligence Agency (US)

External links

• Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, gov.ua

Notes and References

1. Web site: History of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine . gur.mil.gov.ua . 14 March 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220214032906/https://gur.mil.gov.ua/en/content/creation.html . 14 February 2022 . live.
2. Web site: Ukrainian intelligence or how the wise is ruling the stars . Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Center . 2021-09-06 . uscc.org.ua . en-GB . 2022-09-27.
3. Web site: 2021-09-02 . Війна в Афганістані - українські спецпризначенці евакуювали 700 осіб - інтерв'ю з учасником операції . 2023-03-27 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210902163538/https://babel.ua/texts/69124-navkolo-prosto-zombilend-z-tebe-vse-pochinayut-zrivati-yak-ukrajinskiy-specnaz-zrobiv-mayzhe-nemozhlive-dostaviv-z-kabulu-v-aeroport-700-osib-rozpovidaye-uchasnik-specoperaciji . 2 September 2021 .
4. Web site: Kent . Victoria Butenko, Nima Elbagir, Gianluca Mezzofiore, Tamara Qiblawi, Allegra Goodwin, Andrew Carey, Pallabi Munsi, Mahamat Tahir Zene, Barbara Arvanitidis, Alex Platt, Lauren . 2023-09-19 . Exclusive: Ukraine's special services 'likely' behind strikes on Wagner-backed forces in Sudan, a Ukrainian military source says . 2024-02-06 . CNN . en.
5. Web site: Orlova . Kateryna Zakharchenko, Alisa . 2024-02-05 . EXCLUSIVE: Ukrainian Special Forces Interrogate Wagner Mercenaries in Sudan . 2024-02-06 . Get the Latest Ukraine News Today - KyivPost . en.
6. News: Lovett . Ian . Nikolaienko . Nikita . Bariyo . Nicholas . 6 March 2024 . Ukraine Is Now Fighting Russia in Sudan . unfit . https://archive.today/20240322160143/https://www.wsj.com/world/ukraine-is-now-fighting-russia-in-sudan-87caf1d8 . 22 March 2024 . The Wall Street Journal.
7. Web site: 2024-03-21 . DOCUMENT LCI - L'Ukraine combat la Russie en Afrique : les dessous d'une opération longtemps secrète . 2024-03-27 . TF1 INFO . fr.
8. Web site: 2021-10-20 . 13 Awesome Facts About Bats U.S. Department of the Interior . 2024-04-15 . www.doi.gov . en.
9. Web site: 2016-10-30 . У Росії раптово почалася істерія через емблему воєнної розвідки України . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20161030134112/http://tsn.ua/politika/u-rosiyi-raptovo-pochalasya-isteriya-cherez-emblemu-voyennoyi-rozvidki-ukrayini-795788.html . 30 October 2016 . 15 April 2024 . TSN . uk.
10. Web site: Що ми робимо . 2024-04-15 . Main Directorate of Intelligence . uk.
11. Web site: Про розвідку . 2024-04-15 . Офіційний вебпортал парламенту України . uk.
12. Web site: 49 навчальний центр розвідки . 13 March 2024 . Main Directorate of Intelligence . uk.
13. Web site: 54 окремий розвідувальний батальйон . 13 March 2024 . Main Directorate of Intelligence . uk.
14. Web site: 74 окремий розвідувальний батальйон . 13 March 2024 . Main Directorate of Intelligence . uk.
15. Web site: 2022-09-03 . Воїни ЗСУ завершують навчання з БПЛА Poseidon H10 i H6: на що здатні кіпрські "пташки" . 2024-03-13 . ФОКУС . uk.
16. Web site: 130 окремий розвідувальний батальйон . 13 March 2024 . Main Directorate of Intelligence . uk.
17. Web site: 131 окремий розвідувальний батальйон . 13 March 2024 . Main Directorate of Intelligence . uk.
18. Web site: Міністерство оборони вирішило переселити розвідбат десантників з Озерного в Житомир . 2024-03-13 . www.zhitomir.info . uk.
19. News: 22 December 2020 . Вірні завжди . 13 March 2024 . Main Directorate of Intelligence . uk.
20. News: Hulevata . Tetyana . 27 June 2022 . Український спецназ працює на території росії: що дізналися західні ЗМІ . 26 February 2024 . Telegraf . uk.
21. News: Tucker . Maxim . 26 June 2022 . 'Shaman' special forces take the fight across the border into Russia . unfit . https://archive.today/20220712194131/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/shaman-special-forces-take-the-fight-across-the-border-into-russia-0l6srllwk . 12 July 2022 . 13 March 2024 . The Times.
22. News: Kunkle . Fredrick . 3 June 2022 . Ukraine's volunteer 'Kraken' unit takes the fight to the Russians . 26 February 2024 . The Washington Post.
23. News: Kasumova . Roksana . 30 August 2023 . Defence Intelligence special unit commander reveals details of operations on the Black Sea . 26 February 2024 . Ukrainska Pravda.
24. News: Kravets . Roman . 13 February 2024 . Керівник спецпідрозділу ГУР Тимур: Коли Буданов виходить з нами на операції – це стрес, бо завжди великі ризики . 27 February 2024 . . uk.
25. News: 7 March 2024 . Пам'яті воїнів-розвідників Непийпива, Святоші, Аполлона й Тарасія . In memory of scouts Nepiypyva, Svyatoshu, Apollona and Tarasya . 11 March 2024 . Main Directorate of Intelligence . uk.
26. News: 4 October 2023 . Крим буде українським! . Crimea will be Ukrainian! . 11 March 2024 . Main Directorate of Intelligence . uk.
27. News: 18 December 2023 . Тренування розвідників-штурмовиків . 11 March 2024 . Main Directorate of Intelligence . uk.
28. Web site: Побратими називали його незамінним воїном: на війні загинув 23-річний доброволець з Закарпаття . 2024-03-11 . fakty.ua . uk.
29. Web site: Закарпатець Руслан Каганець повідомив про створення спецпідрозділу "Відар" ГУР МО . 2024-05-24 . Анонс Закарпаття - всі новини Закарпатської області та м. Ужгород . uk.
30. Web site: Переобладнання пікапу в мобільну майстерню для 8-го окремого батальйону АРАТТА спецпідрозділ ГУР МО . 2024-05-24 . ТВІЙ КРОК . uk.
31. Web site: Тренування воїнів групи "Nobody" у складі підрозділу Тимура ГУР МО України . 2024-03-06 . gur.gov.ua.
32. Web site: "Кажется, будто падает сам самолет": в ГУР показали кадры боев за Авдеевку и обстрелов города КАБами . 2024-05-21 . nv.ua . ru.
33. Web site: 2024-02-02 . Як працює спецзагін Буданова PARAGON? . 2024-03-11 . aspi.com.ua . uk-UA.
34. Web site: 9 January 2024 . "Погляньте, як знищують ворога ці термінатори!": ГУР показало відео роботи спецпідрозділу . 27 February 2024 . The Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine . uk.
35. News: 20 January 2023 . Спецпідрозділ "Крила" запускає проект створення флотилії FPV дронів . Special Unit "Wings" Launches Project to Create a Flotilla of FPV Drones . 11 March 2024 . Main Directorate of Intelligence . uk.
36. Web site: Group 13 Is Hunters for russian Ships . 2024-02-14 . gur.gov.ua.
37. Web site: Pleitgen . Joseph Ataman, Frederik . 2024-02-05 . A Ukrainian pilot outlines how drones powered by jet skis sunk a Russian warship . 2024-02-14 . CNN . en.
38. Web site: International Legion . 27 February 2024 . International Legion of Defence Intelligence of Ukraine.
39. Web site: Ronin Team . 29 July 2024 . Instagram.
40. Web site: Tactical Group Athena . 19 July 2024 . Telegram.
41. Web site: Ronin Team . 29 July 2024 . Instagram.
42. Web site: Нормативно-правова база діяльності . 2024-04-15 . Main Directorate of intelligence . uk.
43. Web site: Poroshenko appointed head of intelligence of the MOU Kondratyuk, Deputy head of the AP . Ukrop News 24 . 25 October 2016 . 26 October 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161026080759/http://ukropnews24.com/poroshenko-appointed-head-of-intelligence-of-the-mou-kondratyuk-deputy-head-of-the-ap/ . dead .
44. http://www.unian.info/society/1588351-president-presents-new-chief-of-military-intel.html President presents new chief of military intel