4th Nuclear Power Plant Protection Battalion (Ukraine)
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = 4th Nuclear Power Plant Defense Battalion
| native_name = {{native name|uk|4-й окремий батальйон охорони ОВДО НГ}}
| image = 4 ОБ ОВДО.png
| image_size =
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Regimental Insignia
| start_date = {{Start date|1991}}
| country = {{flag|Ukraine}}
| allegiance = 20px Ministry of Internal Affairs
| branch = {{flagicon image|Ensign of the National Guard of Ukraine.svg}} National Guard of Ukraine
| type = Battalion
| role = CBRN defense of South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant
| size =
| command_structure = {{flagicon image|Ensign of the National Guard of Ukraine.svg}} National Guard of Ukraine
| garrison = Pivdennoukrainsk
| current_commander = Colonel Oleg Khudoliy
| notable_commanders =
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| battles = Russo-Ukrainian war
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The 4th Nuclear Power Plant Defense Battalion is a battalion of the National Guard of Ukraine tasked with CBRN defense specifically of the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant and has seen action against Russian forces during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In its current form, it was established in 1992 and headquartered at Pivdennoukrainsk.
History
The Battalion was established on 1 July 1991 for the protection and safety of the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant.
In 2014, the Battalion was one of the first units to enter the ATO zone following the start of the War in Donbass.
File:Rocket strike near South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant.webm
In 2022, following the full scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, the battalion saw combat against Russian forces. During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Russian troops were advancing towards the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant, under the battalion's protection, but were repelled in the March 2022 Battle of Voznesensk.{{cite news|last=Roschyna |first=Olena |date=16 March 2022 |script-title=uk:Терористи не пройшли: Котін розповів, як росіян відкинули від Південноукраїнської АЕС|trans-title=Terrorists haven't passed: Kotin told how the Russians were rejected from the South Ukrainian NPP |url=https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2022/03/16/7331808/ |language=uk |newspaper=Ukrainska Pravda |access-date=22 September 2022}} On 19 September 2022, the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant was reportedly hit by Russian artillery. A missile exploded about 300 metres from the reactors, blowing out windows in the buildings and damaging a neighbouring hydroelectric power station. Nuclear reactors were not damaged.{{cite news |last=Harding |first=Luke |author-link=Luke Harding |date=2022-09-19 |title=Russia no longer has full control of Luhansk region after Ukraine captures village |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/sep/19/russia-no-longer-has-full-control-of-luhansk-as-ukraine-recaptures-village |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=2022-09-19}}{{cite news |last=Santora |first=Marc |date=2022-09-19 |title=Strike Near Another Ukrainian Nuclear Plant Escalates Fears of Disaster |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/19/world/europe/ukraine-nuclear-plant-missile.html |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=2022-09-22}} The strike was reportedly conducted by an 9K720 Iskander.{{cite web | url = https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-ato/3574770-nicnij-obstril-pivdennoukrainskoi-aes-rosiani-vipustili-iskander.html | title = Нічний обстріл Південноукраїнської АЕС - росіяни випустили "Іскандер" | publisher = Укрінформ | date = 2022-09-19 | access-date = 2022-09-19 | archive-date = 2022-09-19 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220919130133/https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-ato/3574770-nicnij-obstril-pivdennoukrainskoi-aes-rosiani-vipustili-iskander.html | url-status = live }} In November 2023, it was deployed to the Zaporizhzhia Oblast engaging Russian forces as a part of the Southern Ukraine campaign. During the combat in Mala Tokmachka, a soldier (David Igorovich Stoyanov) was killed on 16 November 2023 as a result of artillery strikes on the battalion's positions[https://yu.mk.ua/news/show/pokhovannya_davida_igorovicha_stoyanova? Поховання Давида Ігоровича Стоянова] and the commander of the reaction platoon of the battalion's second Commandant's office, Serhiy Drobotun, was killed in action on 21 July 2024.[https://yuzhkanews.city/articles/372400/yuzhnoukrainci-proveli-u-vichnist-starshogo-lejtenanta-nacionalnoi-gvardii-ukraini-sergiya-drobotuna Южноукраїнці провели у вічність старшого лейтенанта Національної гвардії України Сергія Дроботуна] On 26 October 2024, the commander of the 1st branch of the 2nd operational platoon, Anton Anatoliyovych Zarenka, was killed while successfully stopping a Russian assault aimed at bypassing the battalion's positions and get behind their lines in Verbove.[https://yuzhkanews.city/articles/322005/yuzhnoukrainci-shilili-golovi-viddayuchi-ostanni-pochesti-zagiblomu-voinu-antonu-zarenku Южноукраїнці схилили голови, віддаючи останні почесті загиблому воїну Антону Заренку]
Structure
The structure of the battalion is as follows:{{Cite web |url=http://clarity-project.info/edr/08803709/persons |title=Військова частина 3044 Національної Гвардії України |accessdate=24 February 2020 |archive-date=24 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200224114301/https://clarity-project.info/edr/08803709/persons }}{{cite web |url=https://issuu.com/national_guard_of_ukraine/docs/wb_book_sm |title=Біла книга-2016: Національна гвардія України |author= |date=2017-06-26 |website=issuu.com |publisher=National Guard of Ukraine |accessdate=10 July 2017 |archive-date=24 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124005407/https://issuu.com/national_guard_of_ukraine/docs/wb_book_sm }}
- Management and Headquarters
- Object Commandant's Office
- 1st Special Commandant's Office
- 1st Operational Platoon
- 2nd Operational Platoon
- Reaction Platoon
- 2nd Special Commandant's Office
- 1st Operational Platoon
- 2nd Operational Platoon
- Reaction Platoon
- Special Purpose Platoon
- Special Cargo Protection Group
- Capture Group;
- Artillery Support Group
- Robotic Intelligence Complexes Department
- Combat and Logistical Support Platoon
- Canine Group
- Engineering, Technical Support and Communications Platoon
- ITZO Service department
- Documents and Communications Group
- Medical Center
Commanders
- Colonel Oleg Khudoliy (2017-)
Sources
- [http://ngu.gov.ua/ua/news/viyskoviy-chastyni-3044-vypovnylos-35-rokiv Військовій частині 3044 виповнилось 35 років] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170613085243/http://ngu.gov.ua/ua/news/viyskoviy-chastyni-3044-vypovnylos-35-rokiv |date=13 June 2017 }}
- [http://www.sunpp.mk.ua/uk/publications/4804 Гвардійці військової частини 3044 тренувались в діях з ліквідації наслідків надзвичайних ситуацій на АЕС] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170524105941/http://www.sunpp.mk.ua/uk/publications/4804 |date=24 May 2017 }}
- [http://dailylviv.com/news/sytuatsiyi-i-pryhody/na-lvivshchyni-zavershyly-pidhotovku-ekipazhiv-bronetransporteriv-33980 На Львівщині завершили підготовку екіпажів БТРів] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170803175142/http://dailylviv.com/news/sytuatsiyi-i-pryhody/na-lvivshchyni-zavershyly-pidhotovku-ekipazhiv-bronetransporteriv-33980 |date=3 August 2017 }}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20170509022822/http://www.energoatom.kiev.ua/ua/actvts/social/maintenance/46693-vyiskova_chastina_scho_ohoronya_obkti_yuuaes_provela_navchalnopolov_zbori_dlya_starshoklasnikv/ Військова частина, що охороняє об'єкти ЮУАЕС, провела навчально-польові збори для старшокласників]