Rapid Operational Response Unit
{{Short description|Ukrainian special police force}}
{{Infobox law enforcement unit
| unit_name = Rapid Operational Response Unit Brigade
| native_name = Корпус Оперативно-Раптової Дії
| native_namea =
| native_namer = Korpus Operatyvno-Raptovoyi Diyi
| image = CORD Patch NPU.svg
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| dates = 2016–present
| country = {{flagcountry|Ukraine}}
| agency = National Police of Ukraine
| type = Police tactical unit
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| common_name = KORD
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| significant_operations = Russian invasion of Ukraine
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| website = [https://kord.np.gov.ua kord.np.gov.ua]
}}
The Rapid Operational Response Unit ({{langx|uk|Корпус Оперативно-Раптової Дії|translit=Korpus Operatyvno-Raptovoyi Diyi}}), commonly abbreviated KORD ({{langx|uk|КОРД}}), is a special purpose unit of the National Police of Ukraine.
History
KORD was created as a special police force for the then-recently created National Police of Ukraine. Recruitment and training started in 2015 and in 2016 the first units were formed.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0G9bkk55Xg|title=Розпочався другий етап відбору до КОРДу|website=YouTube |date=9 November 2015 |accessdate=9 November 2015|archive-date=1 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160401021349/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0G9bkk55Xg}}
KORD received training from special police units from the United States, specially from the DEA and US Marshals.{{Cite web |last=Цензор.НЕТ |title=Американские инструкторы-спецназовцы тренируют спецподразделение МВД "Сокол". ФОТОрепортаж |url=https://censor.net/ru/photo_news/356359/amerikanskie_instruktoryspetsnazovtsy_treniruyut_spetspodrazdelenie_mvd_sokol_fotoreportaj |access-date=2022-08-02 |website=Цензор.НЕТ |date=15 October 2015 |language=ru}} Support was overseen by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.{{Cite web | title=STATEMENT OF WORK | url=https://ua.usembassy.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/151/SOW-Steel-Targets-for-KORD-regions-UPD.pdf | access-date=2025-02-16 | website=ua.usembassy.gov}}
KORD conducted its training exercise on November 3, 2016 at Boryspil International Airport with the State Border Guard Service's Dozor unit.{{cite web | url=https://mvs.gov.ua/en/press-center/news/Arsen_Avakov_Special_force_units_of_the_National_Police_and_the_State_Border_Guard_Service_of_Ukraine_completed_large_scale_exercises_and_showed_excellent_combat_cohesion_PHOTO_VIDEO_3654 | title=Arsen Avakov: Special force units of the National Police and the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine completed large-scale exercises and showed excellent combat cohesion (PHOTO, VIDEO) }}
Organisation
Its structure is based on SWAT units in various American police forces.{{Cite web |title=National police of Ukraine - Main projects |url=https://popcenter.asu.edu/sites/default/files/a_new_policing_model_in_ukraine.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020124353/https://popcenter.asu.edu/sites/default/files/a_new_policing_model_in_ukraine.pdf |archive-date=2021-10-20}}
In the summer of 2024, KORD was reformed into a Special Purpose Police Brigade, taking advantage of its current military role while retaining police ranking and uniforms with operational control over units organized in the cities.
The KORD Brigade will be organized on military lines with its own formations directly reporting to brigade headquarters.{{cite press release |title=National Police forms three combined brigades to participate in combat operations |url=https://mil.in.ua/en/news/national-police-forms-three-combined-brigades-to-participate-in-combat-operations/ |website=Militarnyi |access-date=22 January 2025 |date=25 June 2024}}{{cite press release |title=Голова Нацполіції Іван Вигівський перевірив підготовку новостворених стрілецьких бригад |url=https://www.npu.gov.ua/news/holova-natspolitsii-ivan-vyhivskyi-pereviryv-pidhotovku-novostvorenykh-striletskykh-bryhad?v=667a832261326 |website=National Police of Ukraine |access-date=22 January 2025 |language=Ukrainian |trans-title=The head of the National Police, Ivan Vyhivskyi, checked the training of the newly created rifle brigades |date=25 June 2024}}
KORD's main headquarters is in Kyiv with various regions having a regional office.
Missions
File:CORD ukrainian special police 7.jpg]]
Among the main missions of KORD are:{{Cite web|url=https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/z1436-18|website=zakon.rada.gov.ua|access-date=2020-05-22|title=Про затвердження Положення про підрозділи поліції особливого призначення «Корпус оперативно-раптової дії"}}{{Cite web|url=https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/z1565-17|website=zakon.rada.gov.ua|access-date=2020-05-22|title=Про затвердження Положення про підрозділи поліції особливого призначення}}
- Developing, preparing, and conducting special operations to capture dangerous criminals
- Suppressing crimes committed by members of criminal groups
- Rescuing hostages
- Providing force support in the conduct of operative-search actions
- Providing support to other police units to ensure superior firepower over offenders
- Taking part in anti-terrorist operations conducted by the Anti-terrorist Centre of the Security Service of Ukraine
- Studying and summarizing domestic and foreign experience, as well as the methods of work of similar foreign units in this area
- Ensuring the implementation of security measures for persons involved in criminal proceedings
Engagements
KORD participated in anti-terrorist Operations in Eastern Ukraine.{{Cite web |title=Аброськін: Порядок у Красногорівці охоронятиме КОРД |url=https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2017/05/28/7145241/ |access-date=2022-08-02 |website=Українська правда |language=uk}}
KORD has been involved in fighting in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine,{{cite tweet |number=1502963665171058689 |user=IAPonomarenko |title=Russian POWs again. КОРД is a Ukrainian police special operations force. https://t.co/N0zRDRqXq6 |first=Illia |last=Ponomarenko |author-link=Illia Ponomarenko |date=13 March 2022 |access-date=18 March 2022 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220313233521/https://twitter.com/iaponomarenko/status/1502963665171058689 |archive-date=13 March 2022 |url-status=live}} where the Kyiv units ambushed Russian tanks and BMPs at the Kyiv offensive and at Brovary.{{Cite web |title=Rapid Operational Response Unit destroys Russian tanks in the Kyiv region's Brovary district |url=https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2022/03/6/7328963/ |access-date=2022-09-05 |website=Ukrayinska Pravda |language=en}}
For their actions, the KORD operators were awarded military awards by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.{{Cite web |date=19 March 2022 |title=Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded KORD fighters who protect Ukrainians and maintain law and order in the conditions of the Russian invasion |url=https://www.president.gov.ua/en/news/volodimir-zelenskij-nagorodiv-bijciv-kordu-yaki-zahishayut-u-73673 |website=President of Ukraine}}
In February 2022, KORD received Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vehicles and small arms equipment from the US Embassy.https://mil.in.ua/en/news/u-s-handed-over-vehicles-and-equipment-to-the-national-police-of-ukraine-special-unit/
In popular culture
KORD features in the opening scenes of Tenet (2020), during a terrorist attack at a Kyiv opera.{{Cite web |title=От "Перевозчика" до "Тенета": 8 голливудских фильмов, в которых вспомнили Украину |url=https://kino.24tv.ua/ru/ukraina-v-gollivudskih-filmah-ot-perevozchika-do-teneta_n1564330 |access-date=2022-08-02 |website=24 Канал |date=11 March 2021 |language=ru}}
References
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External links
{{commons category}}
- [http://www.npu.gov.ua/en/ Official website] of National Police
{{Law enforcement agencies of Ukraine}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Ministry of Internal Affairs (Ukraine)