Internal Troops of Ukraine

Internal Troops of Ukraine
Внутрішні війська України
Abbreviation BB

Logo of the Internal Troops of Ukraine

Badge of the Internal Troops of Ukraine
Agency overview
Formed 5 January 1992
Dissolved 13 March 2014
Superseding agency National Guard of Ukraine
Legal personality Governmental: Government agency
Jurisdictional structure
Governing body Ministry of Internal Affairs (Ukraine)
General nature
Operational structure
Headquarters Kiev
Website
Archived website

The Internal Troops of Ukraine (Ukrainian: Внутрішні війська України, Vnutrishni Viys'ka Ukrayiny - Interior forces of Ukraine; abbreviated ВВ, VV)[1] was a uniformed gendarmerie in Ukraine which merged with the National Guard of Ukraine on March 13, 2014.[2] They are subordinate to the Chief Directorate of Ministry of Internal Affairs (the country's civilian police authority),[3] and cooperate with the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. The VV are used to assist militsiya in policing, deal with riots and internal armed conflicts, and safeguard important facilities such as nuclear power plants. In wartime, the Internal Troops are under the jurisdiction of the Ukrainian armed forces for local defense and rear area security.

The Internal Troops had similar personnel, bases, equipment and traditions as the Soviet Internal Troops. Soviet VV units in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic during the dissolution of the Soviet Union were moved to the jurisdiction of newly-independent Ukraine. However, Ukrainian VV troops are not a direct successor of the Soviet Internal Troops (unlike the Internal Troops of Russia) and their structure and tasks have been reformed. As of 2008, the Internal Troops of Ukraine numbered about 33,000.[4] They were involved in the 2013 Euromaidan revolution, defending the Presidential Administration Building in Kiev.

Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine issued a decree on 13 March 2014 which transferred the powers of the Internal Troops to the restored National Guard of Ukraine.[5]

History

National Guard and Internal Troops

The Internal Troops of Ukraine were formed on January 5, 1992 as part of the Ministry of Internal Affairs as the chief security directorate,[6] and enacted by the Verkhovna Rada on March 26.[7][8] Before that, all Soviet Internal Troops based in Ukraine were reorganized into the National Guard of Ukraine (initially as the Republican Guard)[9] by a January 24, 1991 decree of the Presidium of the Verkhovna Rada. The troops later returned to their former tasks (and name), and the National Guard was disbanded.

Internal security during election unrest

The Orange Revolution was a series of peaceful protests which overturned a presidential election during the winter of 2004–2005, resulting in the election of Viktor Yushchenko. On November 28, 2004 over 10,000 Internal Troops mobilized to suppress protests on Independence Square in Kiev by orders of their commander, Lt. Gen. Sergei Popkov. The SBU warned opposition leaders about the crackdown.[10] Oleksandr Galaka, head of the GUR, made calls to "prevent bloodshed". SBU chief Col. Gen. Ihor P. Smesko and military counterintelligence chief Maj. Gen. Vitaly Romanchenko warned Popkov to pull back his troops, and he complied. SBU senior officers claimed credit for averting a situation they said risked bloodshed and, possibly, civil war.[10]

Reorganization attempts

After a decade within the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Internal Troops were reorganized. In May 2007, the ongoing political crisis led to a jurisdiction dispute over the troops. President Viktor Yuschenko issued a decree moving the Internal Troops from the Ministry of Internal Affairs to the jurisdiction of the President. On May 25, Internal Troops loyal to the president marched on Kiev. The Ministry of Internal Affairs criticized the decree and the troop movement.

Both sides avoid further clashes. The Internal Troops returned to their routine tasks, re-establishing co-ordination with the militsiya, but the legal dispute over the troops remains unsolved. The Troops command was loyal to the president, in accordance with the decree appealed in court by the Cabinet of Ministers.

Poster with side-by-side comparison of soldiers
Euromaidan poster explaining differences between the Berkut special police and conscripted Internal Troops

Organization

Although they reported to a civilian militsiya, the Internal Troops of Ukraine were a paramilitary force with a centralized system of ranks and service. The chief commander and staff of the Troops maintain a separate chain of command, and VV battalions and regiments are under the command of six territorial commanders (who report to the chief commander). The units are stationed on military bases throughout the country, including central Kiev.

The Internal Troops had an aviation brigade, initially formed from the 51st Separate Helicopter Guard Regiment (Oleksandriia, Kirovohrad Oblast) and the 31st Special Helicopter Battle Squadron (Bila Tserkva). In 2000 the 51st Separate Helicopter Brigade was reinforced by an aviation squadron from the Yaguar special-operations unit, obtaining an additional airfield in Kalynivka, Vinnytsia Oblast.

Territorial divisions

There are six territorial commands, abbreviated TrK: West, North, East, Center, South and Crimea. Each TrK has units assigned to it, identified by a four-digit number.

Western TrK

Crimean TrK

Southern TrK

Kiev Northern TrK

Eastern TrK

Central TrK

Direct jurisdiction

Special units

In 1994, three regiments of special-assignment units were created to increase the Internal Troops' capability against organized crime. All were named for felidae: Bars (Snow Leopard, near Kiev), Yahuar (Jaguar in Vinnytsia Oblast), and Hepard (Cheetah in Zaporizhia). On May 19, 2004, the 37th Separate Battalion of Internal Troops moved from Pavlohrad to Crimea, becoming the 47th Special-Assignment Regiment (later Tyhr, Tiger).

The Bars brigade, part of the Kiev territorial command, includes a special-assignment Omega battalion (an anti-terrorist sniper unit).[11] The Tyhr regiment is part of the Crimea territorial command; Yahuar and Hepard are company-sized regiments under the Chief Directorate of Internal Troops.

Other units

Kobra (Cobra) is a mountain-rifle special-ops battalion headquartered in Balaklava. Its present status is unclear. Skorpion, an anti-terrorist unit which maintains the security of nuclear facilities such as the Chernobyl AES, was originally part of the National Guard of Ukraine. The 290th (Novorossiysk) Regiment was formed in April 1942 as part of the Soviet Internal Troops' mechanised infantry. During World War II, it defended the Georgian Military Road, participated in the liberation of Novorossiysk and maintained order in areas liberated from Nazi occupation. On November 24, 1945 the regiment was relocated to Kiev, where until 1947 it fought gang violence in western Ukraine. In 1970 the regiment maintained order in Odessa during a cholera epidemic, and participated in security during the 1980 Summer Olympics. In 1985, it maintained order at the Moscow World Youth Forum. From April 26, 1986 to May 1987 the regiment served in the aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster, maintaining order and preventing looting. From 1988 to 1991, it conducted a peacekeeping mission in the Caucasus. In 1992, the regiment joined the National Guard of Ukraine. After the disbanding of the National Guard in 2000, in accordance with a presidential decree it was transferred to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.[12]

Tasks

Man on the ground being beaten by two other men, with soldier with club behind them
Police officer attacked by protesters during clashes in Kiev, February 18, 2014

The Internal Troops assist the militsiya in policing, crowd control, anti-riot operations, defending major facilities, guarding diplomatic missions, combating internal armed disturbances and terrorism (including some special forces tasks) and maintaining order during a state of emergency.

Personnel

The Internal Troops had gradually changed from the Soviet conscript system (similar to that for the Soviet Army) to the contract-personnel system. Conscription was ended by President Viktor Yanukovych in October 2013.[13] VV officers were trained at the Internal Troops Academy.

Commanders

The Internal Troops have been commanded by:

Weapons and equipment

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ "History of the troops of the Interior". Vv.gov.ua. Retrieved 2014-03-08.
  2. ↑ Law of Ukraine About introducing changes to some legislative acts of Ukraine. Official document
  3. ↑ There is an ongoing legal and political dispute over the subordination of the troops.
  4. ↑ АВІАЦІЙНІ ПІДРОЗДІЛИ ТА ВІЙСЬКОВІ ЧАСТИНИ
  5. ↑ https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&langpair=uk%7Cen&rurl=translate.google.com&sandbox=0&u=http://zakon2.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/877-18&usg=ALkJrhim-0eJ5eLvBLzD2zGSUyMATxjTWg
  6. ↑ "History of Internal Troops of Ukraine". Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  7. ↑ "The Law of Ukraine on Internal Troops". Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  8. ↑ "Resolution on introduction of the Law of Ukraine About troops of internal and convoy security". Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  9. ↑ "Law of Ukraine on subordination of the Internal Troops". Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  10. 1 2 Chivers, C. J. (January 17, 2005). "How Top Spies in Ukraine Changed the Nation's Path". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 18, 2015. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
  11. ↑ ПІДРОЗДІЛ СПЕЦІАЛЬНОГО ПРИЗНАЧЕННЯ ТА БОРОТЬБИ З ТЕРОРИЗМОМ ВНУТРІШНІХ ВІЙСЬК МВС УКРАЇНИ
  12. ↑ ". - .". Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  13. ↑ "Yanukovych: Ukraine ended military conscription after autumn call-ups". UPI.com. 2013-10-03. Retrieved 2014-03-08.
  14. ↑ Turchynov proposes parliament appoint Poltorak as National Guard commander, Interfax-Ukraine (19 March 2014)
  15. ↑ Reuters (March 20, 2014). "Ukraine's New Force Seeks to Harness 'Maidan' Spirit". The Moscow Times. Archived from the original on March 20, 2014. Retrieved May 19, 2015.

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