Special Police Forces (Ukraine) Explained
The Special Police Forces (Ukrainian: Спеціальні поліцейські сили|translit=Spetsialni politseiski syly) is a Ukrainian volunteer corps of law enforcement units, part of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.[2] It was originally created for prevention of criminal encroachment and defence of civil order on 15 April 2014, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[3] During the ongoing war in Donbas, the forces of the Special Tasks Patrol Police have fought against pro-Russian separatists as a paramilitary force.[4]
History
In April 2014, Minister of Internal Affairs Arsen Avakov issued an order to create battalions of special purpose within the Ministry of Internal Affairs structure.[5] Their goal was to protect public order and important facilities across Ukraine, but all of these units were eventually sent to the east to counter Russian aggression. After the reformation of National Police in 2015, the units were reformed as Special Task Patrol Police units.
Structure
Special Police Forces
- Bohdan Company, Khmelnytskyi Oblast
- Chernihiv Company, Chernihiv Oblast
- East Company, Kharkiv, Kharkiv Oblast
- Ivano-Frankivsk Company, Ivano-Frankivsk
- Kherson Company, Kherson, Kherson Oblast
- Khyzhak Brigade
- Kord Brigade
- Kyiv Regiment, Kyiv, Kyiv Oblast
- Lviv Battalion, Lviv, Lviv Oblast
- Lyut Brigade, Kyiv, Kyiv Oblast
- Tsunami Assault Regiment
- Safari Assault Regiment
- Luhansk Assault Regiment
- Myrotvorets Battalion
- Enei Police Battalion
- Skif Battalion
- Zakhid Battalion
- Tavr Battalion
- Dnipro-1 Regiment
- Shtorm Battalion
- Sumy Company, Sumy, Sumy Oblast
- Sviatoslav Company, Kirovohrad Oblast
- Ternopil Company, Ternopil, Ternopil Oblast
- Vinnytsya Battalion, Vinnytsia Oblast
Former special police units
- Azov Battalion (батальйон "Азов") – a volunteer battalion which became notable for its participation on the Battle of Mariupol and controversial as it was formed by members coming from ultranationalist and neonazi parties.[6] [7] In September 2014, it was expanded into a regiment and transferred to the command of the National Guard of Ukraine.
- Shakhtarsk Battalion (батальйон ПСМОП "Шахтарськ") – A former all volunteer territorial defence battalion of mostly former convicts from Donbas established in Shakhtarsk in June 2014 (because the battalion is reporting to the Interior Ministry its members became formally police officers).[8] In October 2014 the unit was disbanded after 50 members of the battalion were accused of looting and hooliganism.[9] The battalion was then resurrected as the "Tornado" police battalion.
- Tornado battalion – After the "Shakhtarsk" police battalion was disbanded in October 2014 after 50 members of the battalion were accused of looting and hooliganism. it was resurrected as the "Tornado" police battalion. The battalion was about 100 people strong and most members were former convicts from Donbas (because the battalion is reporting to the Interior Ministry its members were formally police officers). On 18 June 2015 the unit was disbanded after members were accused of looting, rape and torture.[10] [11] Initially the battalion refused to stop operations and disarm.[12] Former battalion members were accused and arrested for smuggling cast iron from territory under separatist control.[13]
See also
Notes and References
- https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-polytics/3281876-parliament-appoints-monastyrsky-as-ukraines-interior-minister.html Parliament appoints Monastyrsky as Ukraine's interior minister
- News: Прищепа . Ярослав . 2022-02-24 . Вторгнення Росії і що відбувається на Донбасі . uk-UA . Суспільне Новини . 2023-02-21.
- Web site: http://www.mvs.gov.ua/ua/news/1018_Nacpoliciya_i_Nacgvardiya_mayut_buti_yak_vi__biyci_dobrobativ__Arsen_Avakov_FOTO_VIDEO.htm. uk:«Нацполіція і Нацгвардія мають бути, як ви – бійці добробатів», – Арсен Аваков (ФОТО, ВІДЕО). mvs.gov.ua. uk. 2016-08-12.
- Web site: Friedman . Masha Gessen, Misha . The Cops Who Would Save a Country . 2023-02-21 . Foreign Policy . en-US.
- News: 2014-05-07 . Central Asia's New Best Friends Cement Relations . 2023-02-21 . Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty . en.
- Web site: 2016-01-24 . Ultra-nationalist Ukrainian battalion gears up for more fighting . . 2022-04-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160124064419/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ukraine-crisis-azov-idUSKBN0ML0XJ20150325 . 24 January 2016 .
- News: . 2022-03-18 . Inside Azov, the far-Right brigade killing Russian generals and playing a PR game in the Ukraine war . en-GB . The Telegraph . 2022-04-23 . 0307-1235.
- https://web.archive.org/web/20150218233615/http://www.kyivpost.com/content/kyiv-post-plus/convicts-turned-cops-on-forefront-of-ukraines-battle-against-russia-381135.html Convicts-turned-cops on forefront of Ukraine's battle against Russia
- Web site: Shakhtarsk battalion disbanded over looting claims. Interfax.
- http://www.rferl.org
Web results'Tornado' Trial Tests Kyiv's Ability To Rein In Rogue Paramilitaries
- http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/272953.html Ukrainian interior minister dissolves 'Tornado' task force, several members arrested for serious crimes
- News: http://www.rbc.ru/politics/18/06/2015/5582d66f9a79471287fd5e96. ru:Бойцы расформированного батальона «Торнадо» пригрозили Киеву стрельбой. Куандыкова. Жанель. 18 June 2015. rbc.ru. ru. 18 June 2015.
- https://web.archive.org/web/20150617230442/http://www.kyivpost.com/content/kyiv-post-plus/commander-of-volunteer-unit-detained-amid-smuggling-scandal-391361.html Commander of volunteer unit detained amid smuggling scandal
