Special Police Forces (Ukraine)
The Special Police Forces (Ukrainian: Спеціальні поліцейські сили, romanized: 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]
| Special Police Forces Спеціальні поліцейські сили | |
|---|---|
 Ministry of Internal Affairs emblem | |
| Agency overview | |
| Formed | 15 April 2014 |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| Operations jurisdiction | Ukraine |
| Operational structure | |
| Minister responsible | |
| Parent agency | Ministry of Internal Affairs |
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.[2] After the reformation of National Police in 2015, the units were reformed as Special Task Patrol Police units.[4]
The SPF inducted its first Offensive Guard Police Brigade in February 2023 to cope with the needs of the NPU in response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Liut (Fury) Brigade was activated that month on orders from the MIA of Ukraine and is manned by personnel of the SPF formations.
List of Special Tasks Patrol Police units
Special Police Forces
- Bohdan Company, Khmelnytskyi Oblast
- Chernihiv Company, Chernihiv Oblast
- Dnipro-1 Regiment, Dnipro Oblast
- Armored Battalion
- 2nd Company
- Aerorozvidka
- 5th Company Donetsk
- Krym Company
- East Company, Kharkiv, Kharkiv Oblast
- Ivano-Frankivsk Company, Ivano-Frankivsk
- Kherson Company, Kherson, Kherson Oblast
- Kryvbas Company, Dnipro Oblast
- Kyiv Regiment, Kyiv, Kyiv Oblast
- 1st Police Company Kyiv-1
- 2nd Police Company Kyiv-2
- 3rd Police Company Zoloti Vorota
- 4th Police Company Sich
- Lviv Battalion, Lviv, Lviv Oblast
- Liut Brigade, Kyiv, Kyiv Oblast
- Tsunami Assault Regiment
- Safari Assault Regiment
- Luhansk-1 Special Purpose Police Battalion
- Myrotvorets Regiment, Kyiv
- 2nd Kyivschyna Company
- 3rd Company Harpoon
- 4th Company
- Poltava Battalion, Poltava, Poltava Oblast
- Shtorm Battalion, Odesa, Odesa Oblast
- Sicheslav Company, Dnipro, Dnipro Oblast
- Skif Battalion, Zaporizhzhia Oblast
- Berda Company
- Sumy Company, Sumy, Sumy Oblast
- Svitiaz Company, Volyn Oblast
- Sviatoslav Company, Kirovohrad Oblast
- Ternopil Company, Ternopil, Ternopil Oblast
- Vinnytsya Battalion, Vinnytsia Oblast
- Zakhid Battalion, Volyn Oblast
Gallery
 Members of the "Sich" Battalion in a formation. |
 Volunteers of the special police "Azov" Battalion |
See also
References
- Parliament appoints Monastyrsky as Ukraine's interior minister, Ukrinform (16 July 2021)
- Прищепа, Ярослав (24 February 2022). "Вторгнення Росії і що відбувається на Донбасі". Суспільне | Новини (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 21 February 2023.
- «Нацполіція і Нацгвардія мають бути, як ви – бійці добробатів», – Арсен Аваков (ФОТО, ВІДЕО). mvs.gov.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 12 August 2016.
- Friedman, Masha Gessen, Misha. "The Cops Who Would Save a Country". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
- "Central Asia's New Best Friends Cement Relations". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 7 May 2014. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
