Today, May 27, Ukraine celebrates the Day of Special Operations Forces. Previously, it was on July 29, but yesterday, by decree of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, the date was moved. Who are the SSO and how do they protect Ukraine - writes UNN.
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The Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (SSO) are the pride and hope of the Ukrainian army. These soldiers perform the most dangerous tasks: from conducting raids, sabotage, psychological operations and intelligence to eliminating enemy targets and rescuing hostages. Today we thank our Special Operations Forces – for every destroyed enemy warehouse, for every rescued Ukrainian soul and for our peace of mind.
In fact, the SSO of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was created in 2007 as a separate structural unit of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The corresponding directive was signed by the then Minister of Defense of Ukraine Anatoliy Grytsenko. The management was headed by Yuriy Servetnyk, who was the developer of the concept of the SSO's activities. The unit existed until 2012. In 2016, after the start of the war in Donbas, the process of creating the SSO was completed by a decree of the President of Ukraine (Petro Poroshenko) and a signed law that defined the legal status of the SSO.
In 2016, the first graduation of 29 SSO instructors trained under the program of the Joint Multinational Group, which includes the USA, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, took place.
It is known that the SSO actively cooperates with NATO units, conduct joint exercises and exchange experience. Thanks to this, Ukrainian special forces are among the best in Europe. In 2019, the 140th separate special purpose center of the SSO became the first unit not from NATO member countries to be certified as a unit of the NATO Rapid Reaction Force.
In 2022, the SSO received a new emblem – a silver wolf, which symbolizes endurance and the ability to act in any conditions. The emblem of the 73rd Marine Center of the SSO is a seahorse combined with the sword of Svyatoslav the Brave. It symbolizes maritime operations, secrecy and adaptability to the aquatic environment.
The SSO also has its own slogan: "I'm coming for you!" – the battle motto of the great Kyiv prince Svyatoslav the Brave, which reminds of the ancient Ukrainian military tradition and steadfastness.
Let us remind you
Earlier, UNN wrote that according to the decree published on the President's website, this day honors the courage and heroism of the soldiers of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, manifested in the struggle for the freedom, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine, as well as to establish new military traditions.