Territorial defense battalions (Ukraine)

Territorial defense battalions (Батальйо́ни територіа́льної оборо́ни) are volunteer military units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine under the command of the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs and Ministry of Defence. In November 2014 all existing battalions were inducted into the National Guard of Ukraine as National Guard battalions. The battalions established themselves in mid-2014, during the early stages of the War in Donbass, to combat the forces of the Donetsk People's Republic, Lugansk People's Republic, and the United Armed Forces of Novorossiya. More than fifty battalions have been formed, with up to 7,000 soldiers.

History
During the opening stages of the war in Eastern Ukraine, the Ukrainian military and police forces were largely ineffective in separatist areas, often surrendering equipment or being overwhelmed in cities by large crowds of civilians. Federalist and pro-Russian insurgents quickly gained large swaths of territory. Ukraine also lost control of the Ukrainian-Russian border and this allowed time for a large inflow of insurgents and military supplies from Russia.

Due to this ineffectiveness, in May 2014 volunteer militias began to form in order to combat the separatist insurgency. These groups designated themselves as territorial defense battalions and generally took their name from wherever most of their recruits were from.

Most of the volunteer battalions fall under the official command of the Interior Ministry or the Ministry of Defense. However, in fact most are largely autonomous, some receiving funding from various donors. By August, 2014 over 5,600 volunteers have joined defense battalions across Ukraine by August and about 7,000 volunteers joined by the end of September.

The Russian Communist Party has pushed to label the battalions as terrorist organizations, even though they are directly subordinate to the Government of Ukraine and are legal government agencies of Ukraine. Russian politicians have not pushed for declaring pro=Russian insurgents fighting in Ukraine as terrorists.

In the 2014 Ukrainian parliamentary election several members of the battalions were elected into the Ukrainian parliament.

On 10 November 2014 Stepan Poltorak, the Minister of Defense of Ukraine, ordered all 37 volunteer battalions to be integrated into Ukraine's regular forces, thus they were officially inducted into the National Guard of Ukraine as National Guard battalions.

By late 2014 the number of battalions raised so far had grown over 50, including those now under National Guard command.

Legal status
All battalions are a part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and fall under the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the governors of the oblasts (provinces) in which they were created. By law, every oblast in Ukraine can create its own defense battalions.

The battalions that fall under the command of the Interior Ministry are technically part of the National Guard of Ukraine and are attached to units in the National Guard. Donbas Battalion has a special status as a battalion for operation purposes, and its servicemen are part of the military reserve of the National Guard.

Difference with other special forces units of Ukraine
The various territorial defense battalions are not to be confused with the units such as "Omega," "Jaguar," or "Bars" which are Spetsnaz special forces units of Ukraine. While the aforementioned units are all regular forces of the Interior Ministry of Ukraine, territorial defense battalions formed from various volunteers who wished to resist Russian occupation of Ukraine, volunteers weren't required to have prior military training to join and therefore at the beginning of the conflict they had minimal time to train and equip themselves. Battalions were also not armed with armor or tanks at the start of the conflict, however some units managed to capture and repair heavy equipment from enemy units.

Equipment
The battalions receive basic resources and weapons from the Interior Ministry or the Ministry of Defense. These resources soon proofed to be inadequate and numerous volunteers (groups) help to equip the battalions. Best known volunteer groups are Self-defense of Maidan, which has its own warehouses in Melitopol, Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv, and Army SOS, an initiative of former Euromaidan activists. Volunteers provide things like: hygienic items, food, sleeping bags, night vision goggles and multicopters (for improvised Drones).

Aidar Battalion
Named after the Aidar River on the border of Ukraine and Russia the battalion was the first territorial defence battalion created and to actively resist pro-Russian advances in Luhansk oblast. The unit is headed by Serhiy Melnychuk and is composed of volunteers from all over Ukraine with various backgrounds, from recent Euromaidan participants to Ukrainians who participated in the Soviet war in Afghanistan.

Azov Battalion
Named after the Sea of Azov the unit was created in Mariupol which is a major coastal city and operates as the capital of Donetsk Oblast due to the occupations of Donetsk by insurgents. The unit was one of the first battalions to form and begin to resist the Russian Separatists playing a large role in the liberation of Mariupol. The battalion is mostly composed of Russian speaking volunteers from Eastern Ukraine and is headed by Andriy Biletsky.

The unit has been accused by Russia as having a far right agenda with a goal of exterminating Russian speakers of Ukraine, the unit has also been accused of using Nazi symbolism. However, these allegations have been denied by the unit as Russian fear mongering. The unit pointed out the fact that most of their fighters are themselves Russian speakers, and that citizens of the Russian Federation also serve in their ranks. Likewise the unit denies the allegation that they use Nazi symbols claiming that their logo is based on the Coat of Arms of Ukraine.

Batkivshchyna Battalion
Named after (and funded by) the political party with the same name as part of its "Resistance movement" and based in Kirovohrad Oblast.

Bogdan Battalion
Originating from Khmelnytskyi, Ukraine and meaning "Blessed" the battalion was formed on July 12, 2014 making it one of the newer units of the volunteer self-defense battalions. Unlike the first volunteer units formed to resist pro-Russian fighters such as the Aidar and Donbass battalions Bogdan battalion is largely composed of volunteers from central Ukraine where the threat of insurgency was not seen as substantial.

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. This prompted governor Ihor Kolomoyskyi and Dnipropetrovsk mayor Ivan Kulichenko to quickly organize a defense 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.

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.

Donbas Battalion
The most well known and first volunteer battalion to form to resist Russian insurgents in the Donbas, often referred to as the "little black men" as an analog to Crimea's Little green men. The unit was conceived and is headed by Semen Semenchenko, an ethnic Russian. It formed from local ethnic Russian volunteers of the Donbass region who disagreed with the separatist philosophy and wished to remain part of Ukraine but were dissatisfied with the inaction of Ukrainian government forces in the area. In effect it is an analog of the separatist formed Vostok Battalion which formed from ethnic Russians fighting for separatism.

Since its formation the unit became much more diverse accepting volunteers from all over Ukraine and foreign nations into their ranks, however ethnic Russians still make up the majority of the unit. The unit is one of the largest volunteer battalions in Ukraine with nearly 1,000 members and has participated in most major battles since the start of the War in Donbas. The unit also aided in the defense of Mariupol when Russian forces invaded through Novoazovsk, the battalion sent several tank destroyers to slow the Russian advance. The offensive toward Mariupol was halted near Shyrokyne and Bezimenne. The unit suffered heavy losses when Russia sent its regular forces into Ukraine in late August, encircling parts of Ukrainian forces by taking their flank as they were battling separatists.

In September 2014 the unit was reorganized into a Regiment the bulk of which consisted of a 700 man Battalion Tactical Group. The Ministry of Defense stated that the unit would be armed with tanks and armored personnel carriers. A Spetsnaz unit within the battalion was also formed. The unit has been re-designated as the 3rd Reserve Battalion of the National Guard of Ukraine after being integrated into regular forces.

Semen Semenchenko, the founder of the battalion, was elected to the parliament of Ukraine in October 2014 as part of the Samopomich party. It is unclear what will happen to the unit or who will be the new commander with Semenchenko being elected.

Kharkiv-1 Battalion
An all volunteer territorial defense battalion established in Kharkiv Ukraine in April 2014. The unit is largely made of volunteers from Luhansk and Kharkiv oblasts. Unlike other volunteer territorial defense units who function with great autonomy and are only associated with the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine by their oath Kharkiv battalion it is directly controlled by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. Kharkiv Battalion has aided in disrupting the northern advance of Russian separatists toward the Kharkiv oblast.

Kremenchuk Battalion
Formed from volunteers in the Poltava Oblast the battalion is named after the city of Kremenchuk and was created as a detachment of the Poltava Battalion, but eventually operated as a separate entity. Kremenchuk contains one of Ukraine's largest industrial bases accounting for 7% of GDP of the entire nation, it is also home to the largest, and the only functioning oil refinery in Ukraine. Kremenchuk's factories are not only a vital economic source but are responsible for producing vital vehicles used by Ukraine's armed forces such as the Kraz truck and the Cougar armored transport. The city is also located near the largest hydroelectric dam in Ukraine. Due to the strategic importance of the city Russian insurgents were active in attempting to sabotage the city's political and economic status quo. The mayor of the city, Oleh Babayev was assassinated on July 26, 2014. The Kremenchuk detachment of the Poltava Battalion was formed to safeguard the city from terrorist attacks such as the assassination of the mayor and guard vital infrastructure. However, the unit has been deployed to the Donbass in order to combat Russian separatists.

Lviv Battalion
Formed in the western city of Lviv the unit is largely composed of Ukrainian speakers, although all volunteers are free to join. The battalion is composed of 150 volunteers and was officially deployed in July 2014. The battalion is subordinate to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine and not the Ministry of Defense as it functions as a special police unit, all members are also lawful police officers of Ukraine. Volunteers must possess prior military experience and have received 3 months training before being deployed.

Maidan Battalion
On 1 September 2014 NGOs involved in the Euromaidan-protests announced their intention to create its own territorial battalion subordinated to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. This announcement was made at a meeting of representatives of "Ukrainian Coordinating Council Maidan", that included representatives of Automaidan and Right Sector.

Early May 2014 a similar announcement was made.

Mariupol Battalion
Created on 3 September 2014 by Mariupol's City Council during the (nearby the city) pro-Russian separatists August 2014 counter-offensive of the War in Donbass. The battalion is financed from the city budget.

The battalion was not created to battle the pro-Russian separatists but to "counteract subversive groups" and to man roadblocks.

Poltava Battalion
Formed from volunteers in the Poltava Oblast in central Ukraine the unit is composed of about 150 volunteers. The unit was deployed to aid Ukraine's Anti Terrorist Operation in July 2014 after 2 months of training.

Prykarpattya Battalion
An all volunteer unit largely composed of members from the Transcarpathian region of Ukraine and cities of Ivano-Frankivsk and Uzhhorod numbering around 500 people. The unit is subordinate to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. Unlike other volunteer battalions the unit's main mission is to keep peace in its home region and not anti-terror operations. The unit's main mission is to protect critical facilities, ensure communication, guard the state border, and assist public and military authorities in western Ukraine. Zakarpattia Oblast is the least populated region of Ukraine, therefore deploying troops away from the area would leave it understaffed, the battalion is meant to assist authorities while regular police and military troops are deployed.

The unit was eventually deployed to the War in Donbass and played an infamous role in the Battle of Ilovaisk. The battle began on 7 August 2014 and Ukraine's forces entered the city of Ilovaisk on 18 August 2014. The Prykarpattya Battalion did not take part in direct assault but was charged with holding the flank of the main component of Ukraine's troops. However, about 2,000 separatist reinforcements backed by Russian forces crossed from the Russian border to encircle Ukraine's troops in Ilvaisk. Almost all of the unit's 500 troops abandoned their post once they started coming under Russian fire leaving Russian forces free to encircle Ukrainian troops. Several soldiers later regrouped with other units, but it is reported that 326 soldiers of the battalion fled the war zone along with their equipment. The commanders of the battalion are facing treason and desertion charges in the aftermath of the incident.

Shakhtar Battalion
Formed from volunteers in the Donbass area the unit derives its name from the numerous mines in the area as well as the Donetsk area's football club. The unit had its oath taking ceremony on 8 July 2014 and began actively resisting Russian separatists in the area. The unit has approximately 700 members.

In October 2014 the unit was disbanded after 50 members of the battalion were accused of looting and hooliganism.

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. It was deployed in August 2014 making it the newest defense 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.

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.

Skif Battalion
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.

Svyatyi Mykolai Battalion
Formed in May from volunteers out of the Mykolaiv area of Ukraine. Much like Dnipropetrovsk Mykolaiv was predicted to be the next city under threat from pro-Russian insurgents due to it being a Russian speaking city and its proximity to Crimea. The unit was first used in the Mykolaiv area setting up road blocks to slow separatist entry into the region, however by July it was deployed to Donbas in order to take a more active role in the ongoing War in Donbas aiding other volunteer battalions as well as the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Zaporizhia Battalion
Created on 8 September 2014 by Zaporizhia Oblast and subordinate to the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine. Civil servants of Zaporizhia Oblast co-lead the battalion. The battalion will be deployed in Zaporizhia Oblast. According to Zaporizhia Oblast Governor Valeriy Baranov the Zaporizhia Battalion will be the first of its kind to receive tanks.