Territorial Defense Forces (Ukraine)
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (December 2021) |
| Territorial Defence Forces | |
|---|---|
| Війська територіальної оборони (Ukrainian) | |
 | |
| Founded | 2014 |
| Country |  Ukraine |
| Type | Military reserve force |
| Role | Light infantry |
| Size | 37,000 active[1] 130,000 volunteers |
| Part of | Armed Forces of Ukraine |
| Anniversaries | The first Sunday of October[2] |
| Engagements | Russo-Ukrainian War |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | General Yuriy Halushkin[3] |
| Insignia | |
| Identification symbol |  |
The Territorial Defence Forces (Ukrainian: Війська територіальної оборони, romanized: Viiska terytorialnoi oborony) are the military reserve component of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The Territorial Defence Forces were formed after the reorganization of the Territorial Defence Battalions, volunteer militias created during the War in Donbas. It is formed by part-time reservists, and in cases of war can be expanded to local civilian volunteers for local defense, in a case of mass mobilization.[4] The Territorial Defense Forces also contain the International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine, formed by foreign volunteers.[5]
Tasks[edit]
- Protection of public authorities, local governments, critical facilities and communications.
- Deployment at checkpoints.
- Combating sabotage and intelligence forces of the enemy, formed by anti-illegal armed formations and looters.
- Maintaining safety and security on their respective territories (region, city).
- Organization of resistance and (or) guerrilla groups - in case of territory being captured by the enemy.
- Emergencies of natural and man-made disasters in peacetime.[citation needed]
History[edit]
In late 2014 the system of territorial defense of Ukraine changed. Territorial defense battalions were reorganized and transferred to the mechanized infantry brigade of the Army. To replace them, a new structure of the territorial defense forces of the Armed Forces was gradually introduced, which is shown below.
The example of Ukrainian Forces was later used by Poland to build its own armed forces, which from 2015 and on implemented a similar practice.
Regional military commissariats form separate rifle battalions. District (city) military commissariats form defense units in an amount of 2 to 5 units, depending on the assigned tasks. Regional and district military commissariats have a staff defence company, involved in the task of territorial defense (TD).
All units are equipped reservists and military service obligatories. Preparation of the units of TD held within educational meeting of military service (with practical appeal) and the activities carried out between educational meeting.
On 25 May 2021 President Volodymyr Zelensky introduced a law to the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine's national parliament) "on the basis of national resistance" that proposed to increase the number of the Armed Forces of Ukraine by 11,000 servicemen.[6] On 16 July 2021 parliament approved this bill, and on 29th of July 2021 Zelensky signed the law.[6]
On 1 January 2022 the number of the Armed Forces increases by 11,000: 10,000 for the Territorial Defense Forces and 1,000 for the Special Operations Forces.[6]
On 11 February 2022, the planned number of volunteers was increased to 1.5 to 2 million.[7]
As a result of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Territoral Defense Forces reserves were activated and several civilians joined local Territoral Defense Forces groups to fight the Russian invaders. In 25th of February, the Ukrainian government distributed 18,000 guns for people wishing to fight in Kyiv.[8]
In 27th February, as a result of many foreigners volunteering to fight for Ukraine, President Zelenskyy created the International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine, a foreign legion which was placed under the command of the Territorial Defense Forces.[5]
Structure[edit]
Territorial Defence Brigade[edit]
- brigade administration (headquarters)
- 4-8 infantry battalions
- fire support company
- counter-sabotage company
- mortar battery
- units of combat and logistics support
Territorial Rifle Battalion[edit]
- battalion administration (headquarters)
- 3 infantry company
- fire support company
- reconnaissance platoon
- field communication unit
- engineer platoon
- material support platoon
- technical control point
- health center
- club
- Unit size: 492 persons
- Weapons: ZU-23-2, 82 mm mortar 2B9 «Vasilek» RPG-7, AK, PM
- Appliances: Automotive
Military Commissariat Defence Company[edit]
- headquarters company
- 4 protection platoons
- Unit size: 121 people
- Weapons: RPG-7, AK, PM
- Appliances: Automotive
Defense Detachment[edit]
- control unit
- 9 infantry platoons
- economic department
- maintenance department of automotive engineering
- health center
- Unit size: 278 people
- Weapons: RPG-7, AK, PM
- Appliances: Automotive
Civil Defence (Teroborona)[edit]
![[icon]](/web/20220322223548/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (March 2022) |
Units[edit]
Operational Command West[edit]
- 101st Territorial Defense Brigade (Zakarpattia)
- 102nd Territorial Defense Brigade (Ivano-Frankivsk)
- 103rd Territorial Defense Brigade (Lviv)
- 104th Territorial Defense Brigade (Rivne)
- 105th Territorial Defense Brigade (Ternopil)
- 106th Territorial Defense Brigade (Khmelnytskyi)
- 107th Territorial Defense Brigade (Chernivtsi)
Operational Command North[edit]
- 112th Territorial Defense Brigade (Kyiv)
- 114th Territorial Defense Brigade (Kyiv oblast)
- 115th Territorial Defense Brigade (Zhytomyr)
- 116th Territorial Defense Brigade (Poltava)
- 117th Territorial Defense Brigade (Sumy)
- 118th Territorial Defense Brigade (Cherkasy)
- 119th Territorial Defense Brigade (Chernihiv)
Operational Command East[edit]
- 108th Territorial Defense Brigade (Dnipro - Donetsk)
- 109th Territorial Defense Brigade (Donetsk - Kramatorsk)
- 110th Territorial Defense Brigade (Zaporizhzhia)
- 111nd Territorial Defense Brigade (Luhansk - Sievierodonetsk)
- 113rd Territorial Defense Brigade (Kharkiv)
Operational Command South[edit]
- 120th Territorial Defense Brigade (Vinnytsia)
- 121st Territorial Defense Brigade (Kropyvnytskyi)
- 122nd Territorial Defense Brigade (Odessa)
- 123rd Territorial Defense Brigade (Mykolaiv)
- 124th Territorial Defense Brigade (Kherson)
Organisation[edit]
Territorial defense throughout Ukraine is organized by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, or regional administrations in the relevant areas, within their powers. Direct supervision of state territorial defense is done by the head of the General Staff; the Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Because of their territorial defense tasks the Territorial Defense Forces are involved in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other military formations formed in accordance with the laws of Ukraine, including law enforcement bodies, units of the State Special Transport Service, State Special Communications Service of Ukraine and the relevant authorities.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "НОВИНА 🇺🇦 | Новости Украины | війна з Росією | Новини Україна".
- ^ (in Ukrainian) Zelensky introduced another holiday on Teacher's Day, Ukrayinska Pravda (30 September 2020)
- ^ Zelensky appoints Halushkin Commander of territorial defense forces of Ukraine's Armed Forces, Interfax-Ukraine (1 January 2022)
- ^ Ponomarenko, Illia (2022-01-07). "Who can and can't join Ukraine's Territorial Defense Force". The Kyiv Independent. Retrieved 2022-03-20.
- ^ a b Vohra, Anchal. "Ukraine's Foreign Legion Is Ready for Battle". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 2022-03-20.
- ^ a b c (in Ukrainian) The law on national resistance came into force, Ukrayinska Pravda (1 January 2022)
- ^ "Ukraine's new military branch: Citizens protecting their neighborhood". 13 February 2022.
- ^ "As it happened: Kyiv warned of toxic fumes after strike on oil depot". BBC News. Retrieved 2022-03-20.
External links[edit]
- Структура військ територіальної оборони Збройних Сил України(in Ukrainian)
- У Черкасах проведуть десятиденні навчання батальйону територіальної оборони(in Ukrainian)
- У Полтавській області створено 84 загони територіальної самооборони(in Ukrainian)
- Черкащину захищатимуть 16 рот та 62 загони оборони(in Ukrainian)
- Верховній Раді пропонують удосконалити порядок керівництва територіальною обороною(in Ukrainian)
- Росія створила дивізію територіальної оборони в окупованому Криму (in Ukrainian)
- В ОК «Захід» розпочалися навчальні збори з частинами та підрозділами територіальної оборони(in Ukrainian)
- Проведені перші цього року польові заняття військ територіальної оборони ЗС України(in Ukrainian)
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