Special Tasks Patrol Police (Ukraine)

The Special Tasks Patrol Police of Ukraine is the volunteer corps of law enforcement units, part of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. It was originally created for prevention of criminal encroachment and defence of civil order on 15 April 2014, following Russian invasion to Ukraine.[1]

Special Tasks Patrol Police
Патрульнa поліція особливого призначення
Agency overview
Formed2014
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdictionUA
Governing bodyMinistry of Internal Affairs (Ukraine)
General nature
Operational structure
Agency executive
Notables
Anniversary
  • 15 April
Not to be confused with National Guard of Ukraine, Territorial defence battalions of Ukraine, or Special Forces of Ukraine.

During the ongoing war in the Donbass region of Ukraine, the forces of the newly created Special Tasks Patrol Police have fought against pro-Russian separatists.

History

In April 2014, acting Minister of Internal Affairs Arsen Avakov issued an order to create special police battalions.[2] It was formed 56 units of Special Tasks Patrol Militsiya. Those were companies and battalions of special tasks militsiya patrol service (Ukrainian: Батальйон Патрульної Служби Міліції Особливого Призначення [Abbr: Ukrainian: БПСМОП]). After 2015 «About National Police» laws[3] Special Tasks Patrol Militsiya became Special Tasks Patrol Police.

As of 2016, there are regiments of Special Tasks Patrol Police, such as Dnipro-1.

List of Special Tasks Patrol Police units
Police units formed in 2014. The picture taken on 2nd anniversary celebration.
  • "Artemivsk" police battalion (батальйон ПСМОП "Артемівськ") – formed in Dnepropetrovsk oblast[4]
  • "Bogdan" police company (рота ПСМОП "Богдан") – was formed on 12 July 2014 in Khmelnytskyi, Ukraine. The company is largely composed of volunteers.[5]
  • "Chernihiv" police battalion (батальйон ПСМОП "Чернігів") – formed in Chernihiv oblast[6]
  • Dnipro Battalion – Also known as Dnepr-1 it was one of the first units to form and originated in Dnipropetrovsk. As Crimea was annexed and the pro-Russian insurgency began in eastern Ukraine it was believed that Dnipropetrovsk, a large Russian speaking city, would be quick to fall. Moreover, paratroopers of the 25th Airborne Brigade surrendered their equipment and retreated to Dnipropetrovsk on buses when tasked with engaging pro-Russian insurgents in Donetsk.[7] This prompted governor Ihor Kolomoyskyi and Dnipropetrovsk mayor Ivan Kulichenko to quickly organize a defence for the city, also volunteer units began to form funded by various charities and oligarchs forming the Dnipro Battalion. The Dnipro Battalion has been fighting Russian insurgents in Luhansk and Donetsk oblast since its creation. Due to being one of the first units to form and the unit's proximity to the Donbass volunteers often received minimal training before deploying to engage insurgents. The battalion is subordinate to the Interior Ministry of Ukraine.[8] On 9 October 2014 the unit carried out an operation in Telmanove resulting in the death of three Russian military operatives including Russian general Sergey Andreychenko, the highest ranking Russian soldier lost so far during the War in Donbass.[9]
  • "Ivano-Frankivsk" police battalion (батальйон ПСМОП "Івано-Франківськ")
  • "Kharkiv" police battalion (батальйон ПСМОП "Харків") – formed in Kharkiv[10]
  • "Kremenchuk" police company (рота ПСМОП "Кременчук") – Formed from volunteers in the Poltava Oblast. It was named after the city of Kremenchuk and was created as a detachment of the Poltava Battalion, but eventually operated as a separate entity.
  • "Kyiv-1" police battalion (батальйон ПСМОП "Київ-1") – formed in Kiev
  • "Kyiv-2" police battalion (батальйон ПСМОП "Київ-2") – formed in Kiev
  • "Kyivshchyna" police battalion (батальйон ПСМОП "Київщина") – formed in Kiev oblast
  • "Lugansk-1" police battalion (батальйон ПСМОП "Луганськ-1")
  • Lviv police battalion (батальйон ПСМОП "Львiв") – Formed in the western city of Lviv the unit is largely composed of Ukrainian speakers, although all volunteers are free to join. All members are lawful police officers of Ukraine. The battalion is composed of 150 volunteers and was officially deployed in July 2014. Volunteers must possess prior military experience and have received 3 months training before being deployed.[11]
  • "Myrotvorets" police battalion (батальйон ПСМОП "Миротворець") – formed in Kiev oblast
  • "Poltava" police battalion. Formed from volunteers in the Poltava Oblast in central Ukraine.[12] On 5 September 2014 "Myrnyi" police company was merged into "Poltava" police battalion[13]
  • "Saint Mary" police battalion (батальйон ПСМОП "Свята Марія") – Originally a company of the "Shakhtarsk" police battalion (also known as "Jesus Christ Hundred"). The battalion is linked to Dmytro Korchynsky's Bratstvo.[14] Later "Jesus Christ Hundred" was merged into "Mariypol" Territorial defence battalion (which was created on 3 September 2014 by Mariupol's City Council)[15] and reformed into "Saint Mary" police battalion
  • "Shtorm" police battalion (батальйон ПСМОП "Шторм") – formed in Odessa oblast
  • Sich Battalion – Also known as the Sich Special Volunteer Battalion, named after the Sich of the Zaporozhian Cossacks is an all volunteer unit from Kyiv. The unit was formed by the Svoboda party in June 2014.[16] It was deployed in August 2014 making it the newest defence battalion, it is also the smallest unit composed of 50 volunteers. All volunteers are required to have a military background and the unit was designed for anti-terror operations since its inception.[17] The unit has been deployed to Sloviansk and has been responsible for clearing Russian terrorist cells in the city. On 30 September 2014 the unit supported a crowd of protesters in blocking city hall in a protest after the city's mayor appointed deputies who were associated with Party of Regions and president Viktor Yanukovich.[18]
  • "Sicheslav" police battalion (батальйон ПСМОП "Січеслав") – formed in Dnepropetrovsk oblast
  • "Skif" police battalion (батальйон ПСМОП "Скіф") – Formed from volunteers in Zaporizhia it is an all volunteer special police detachment designed to combat terrorism and is subordinate to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine. Although it is a law enforcement unit all volunteers are capable of joining and police training is not required.[19]
  • "Svityaz" police battalion (батальйон ПСМОП "Світязь")
  • "Svyatyi Mykolai" police battalion (батальйон ПСМОП "Святий Миколай") – Formed in May 2014 from volunteers out of the Mykolaiv area of Ukraine[20]
  • "Zoloti Vorota" police battalion (батальйон ПСМОП "Золоті Ворота") – formed in Kiev oblast

In addition, MIA issued an order to form two police battalions in Donetsk oblast ("Donetsk-1" police battalion and "Donetsk-2" police battalion) but they were never formed.

Former special police units
  • "Shakhtarsk" police battalion (батальйон ПСМОП "Шахтарськ") – A former all volunteer territorial defence battalion of mostly former convicts from Donbass established in Shakhtarsk in June 2014 (because the battalion is reporting to the Interior Ministry its members became formally police officers).[14] In October 2014 the unit was disbanded after 50 members of the battalion were accused of looting and hooliganism.[21] The battalion was then resurrected as the "Tornado" police battalion.[14]
  • "Tornado" police battalion – After the "Shakhtarsk" police battalion was disbanded in October 2014 after 50 members of the battalion were accused of looting and hooliganism.[21] it was resurrected as the "Tornado" police battalion.[14] The battalion was about 100 people strong and most members were former convicts from Donbass (because the battalion is reporting to the Interior Ministry its members were formally police officers).[14] On 18 June 2015 the unit was disbanded after members were accused of crimes.[22] Initially the battalion refused to stop operations and disarm.[23] Former battalion members were accused and arrested for smuggling cast iron from territory under separatist control.[24]

References
  1. «Нацполіція і Нацгвардія мають бути, як ви – бійці добробатів», – Арсен Аваков (ФОТО, ВІДЕО). mvs.gov.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  2. МВС набирає добровольців спецпідрозділу з охорони порядку на південному сході // «Сегодня. UA» (15 April 2014)
  3. Президент підписав Закон України «Про національну поліцію». president.gov.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  4. У Дніпропетровщині набирають добровольців у батальйони «Дніпро-1», «Артемівськ» та «Січеслав» // UNN (30 June 2014)
  5. "Батальйон "Богдан" залишає Хмельницький і вирушає на Донбас (відео)". Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  6. В Черниговской области создают спецбатальон патрульной службы // «Вести. UA» (20 April 2014)
  7. "Turchynov Tells Defence Ministry Disestablish 25th Brigade Of Air Assault Forces". Ukrainian News. 17 April 2014. Archived from the original on 17 April 2014.
  8. "The Town Determined to Stop Putin". The Daily Beast. 12 June 2014.
  9. "Ukrainian battalion says Russian general killed in operation in Donetsk". Euromaidan Press.
  10. (in Russian) Battalion "Kharkiv" is sent to the zone of ATO, SQ News (9 December 2015)
  11. "More than 200 men voluntarily joined the battalion "Lviv"". ukrstream.tv.
  12. "МВС УКРАЇНИ". Міністерство внутрішніх справ України. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  13. Наказом від 5 September 2014 батальйон «Полтава» та рота «Мирний» об'єднані в батальйон «Полтавщина» / official web-site of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine (5 September 2014)
  14. Convicts-turned-cops on forefront of Ukraine's battle against Russia, Kyiv Post (18 February 2015)
  15. (in Ukrainian) In Mariupol created their own territorial defense battalion, Ukrayinska Pravda (3 September 2014)
  16. "Партія Свобода створює власний батальйон". Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  17. "Батальон "Сич" отправился в зону АТО". Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  18. "Dimitri Timchuk's Blog Summary of Events for 30 September". Dimitri Timchuk.
  19. "Батальйон "Скіф" проходить останні вишколи перед відправленням на Схід". Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  20. Батальйон "Миколаїв" вирушив у зону АТО ["Mykolaiv" Battalion moved into the ATO zone]. UkrMedia (in Ukrainian). 14 July 2014. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  21. "Shakhtarsk battalion disbanded over looting claims". Interfax.
  22. Ukrainian interior minister dissolves 'Tornado' task force, several members arrested for serious crimes, Interfax-Ukraine (18 June 2015)
  23. Куандыкова, Жанель (18 June 2015). Бойцы расформированного батальона «Торнадо» пригрозили Киеву стрельбой (in Russian). rbc.ru. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
  24. Commander of volunteer unit detained amid smuggling scandal, Kyiv Post (18 June 2015)
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