Offensive Guard (Ukraine)

{{Short description|Recruitment campaign of the Ministry of the Interior of Ukraine}}

{{Infobox military unit

| unit_name = Offensive Guard

| native_name = {{lang|uk|Гвардія наступу}}

| image = Offensive Guard insignia.png

| image_size = 200px

| caption =

| dates = February 2, 2023 – present

| country = {{flagcountry|Ukraine}}

| branch = {{army|Ukraine}}

| type =

| role =

| command_structure = 20px Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs

| garrison =

| motto = It’s time to take back what’s ours

| battles = Russian Invasion of Ukraine

| website = https://storm.mvs.gov.ua/

| commander1 = Unknown

}}

The Offensive Guard ({{langx|uk|Гвардія Наступу |translit=Hvardiia Nastupu}}) is an initiative undertaken by the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs to establish new assault brigades within the National Guard, National Police, and Border Guards.{{Cite web |last=Mazurenko |first=Alona |date=2023-02-02 |title=Ukraine's Interior Ministry forming volunteer assault brigades known as Offensive Guard |url=https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/02/2/7387701/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230212173957/https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/02/2/7387701/ |archive-date=2023-02-12 |access-date=2023-02-13 |website=Ukrainska Pravda |language=en}} The main objective of this project is to strengthen the country's security and defense capabilities by creating units capable of responding to various threats and challenges.{{Cite web |date=2023-02-12 |title=Ukraine's Offensive Guard receives 27,000 applications, new brigades planned |url=https://news.yahoo.com/ukraines-offensive-guard-receives-27-160759531.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230213041614/https://news.yahoo.com/ukraines-offensive-guard-receives-27-160759531.html |archive-date=2023-02-13 |access-date=2023-02-13 |website=news.yahoo.com |language=en-US |agency=Yahoo! News}}

History

In February, the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs launched the Offensive Guard project, which aims to establish eight volunteer assault brigades by April 2023. The project has called for volunteers to join the effort, with particular emphasis on active members of the National Police, State Border Guard, and National Guard, as well as veterans of the Russo-Ukrainian War.{{Cite web |date=2023-02-09 |title=Azov regiment expands to brigade within National Guard of Ukraine |url=https://news.yahoo.com/azov-regiment-expands-brigade-within-195700966.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230213190142/https://news.yahoo.com/azov-regiment-expands-brigade-within-195700966.html |archive-date=2023-02-13 |access-date=2023-02-13 |website=Yahoo! News |language=en-US}} The response to the call for volunteers has been significant, with over 27,000 enquiries registered by Internal Affairs in just over a week.{{Cite web |last=Kuznetsova |first=Kateryna |date=2023-02-08 |title= |script-title=uk:До штурмових бригад "Гвардія наступу" вже долучилося понад 500 дівчат — МВС |url=https://tsn.ua/ukrayina/do-shturmovih-brigad-gvardiya-nastupu-uzhe-doluchilosya-ponad-500-divchat-mvs-2261017.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230213210143/https://tsn.ua/ukrayina/do-shturmovih-brigad-gvardiya-nastupu-uzhe-doluchilosya-ponad-500-divchat-mvs-2261017.html |archive-date=2023-02-13 |access-date=2023-02-13 |website=TSN |language=uk}} Of these, 15,000 applicants, including 500 female candidates, have applied for admission, and over 800 individuals have already passed medical examinations as part of the enlistment process.{{Cite web |title=ЧАС ПОВЕРТАТИ СВОЄ |url=https://storm.mvs.gov.ua/ |access-date=2023-03-24 |website=storm.mvs.gov.ua |language=uk}}

The projected raising of the Guards was such a resounding success{{Citation needed|reason=By what metric? According to what objective source?|date=November 2023}} that by April 2023 the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine recommended the raising of more formations.

Structure

As of 2025, the structure is as follows:

= National Guard =

  • 1st Burevii Brigade, Vyshhorod, Kyiv Oblast
  • Brigade Headquarter and Headquarter Company
  • Kulchytskyi Battalion
  • 1st Infantry Battalion
  • 2nd Infantry Battalion
  • 3rd Infantry Battalion
  • Artillery Battalion
  • Anti-Aircraft Defense Battalion
  • 3rd Spartan Brigade, Kharkiv, Kharkiv Oblast
  • Brigade Headquarter and Headquarter Company
  • 1st Infantry Battalion
  • 2nd Infantry Battalion
  • 3rd Infantry Battalion
  • 4th Guardsmen Battalion
  • Tank Company
  • Artillery Battalion
  • Anti-Aircraft Defense Battalion
  • Reconnaissance Company
  • 4th Rubizh Brigade, Hostomel, Kyiv Oblast
  • Brigade Headquarters and Headquarters Company
  • 1st Infantry Battalion
  • 2nd Infantry Battalion
  • 3rd "Svoboda" Infantry Battalion
  • 4th Infantry Battalion
  • 5th Infantry Battalion
  • 6th Infantry Battalion
  • Tank Battalion
  • Field Artillery Battalion
  • Anti-Aircraft Defense Battalion
  • 12th Azov Assault Brigade, Yurivka, Donetsk Oblast
  • Brigade Headquarter and Headquarter Company
  • 1st Infantry Battalion
  • 2nd Infantry Battalion
  • 3rd Infantry Battalion
  • Tank Company
  • Artillery Battalion
  • Anti-Aircraft Defense Battalion
  • Reconnaissance Company
  • 13th Khartiia Brigade, Kharkiv, Kharkiv Oblast{{Cite web |title=One more brigade called Khartiia to be added to Offensive Guard |url=https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/04/12/7397546/ |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=Ukrainska Pravda |language=en}}
  • Brigade Headquarters and Headquarters Company
  • 14th Chervona Kalyna Brigade, Kalynivka, Vinnytsia Oblast{{cite web |last1=Kizilov |first1=Yevhen |title=Kyiv Oblast reveals details of Liut (Fury) Brigade's training |url=https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/03/8/7392534/ |website=Ukrainska Pravda |access-date=18 September 2023}}
  • Brigade Headquarters and Headquarters Company
  • 15th Kara-Dag Brigade, Zaporizhzhia, Zaporizhzhia Oblast
  • Brigade Headquarters and Headquarters Company
  • 1st Infantry Battalion
  • 2nd Infantry Battalion
  • 3rd Infantry Battalion
  • Tank Company
  • Field Artillery Battalion
  • Anti-Aircraft Defense Battalion
  • Reconnaissance Company

= National Police =

= State Border Guard =

References

{{refs}}