Today is the Day of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: the role of the Special Forces in repelling Russian aggression
Kyiv • UNN
July 29 is the Day of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The Special Operations Forces perform complex combat missions, are NATO-certified, and participate in key operations to defend Ukraine.
Today, on July 29, soldiers of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are celebrating their professional holiday, UNN reports.
The Special Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is a separate branch of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which includes special purpose units and information and psychological special operations units, staffed by specialists with special capabilities in the areas of intelligence, direct action and military support to perform complex, dangerous, and sometimes politically sensitive operations.
In 2007 , the Directorate of Special Operations Forces was established as a structural unit under the General Staff of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. It existed until 2012.
The need to create a combat unit that will perform special and highly complex tasks was raised again after Russia annexed Crimea and started a hybrid war in eastern Ukraine. .
On May 14, 2016, the first graduation of 29 instructors of the Special Operations Forces Training Center took place as part of the Joint Multinational Group (USA, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia) program.
A month later, the Verkhovna Rada supported a bill on the creation of the Armed Forces' Specialized Security Forces.
In 2019, for the first time in history, a unit from a non-NATO country was certified as a SOF unit and is eligible to be deployed to the NATO Rapid Reaction Force. It was the 140th Center of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Since 2020, a unit of the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces has been on combat duty as part of the NATO Response Force.
The main tasks of the Special Operations Forces are raids and modern combat operations, psychological operations, intelligence gathering behind the front line, elimination of persons posing a threat to Ukraine, etc.
The combat base of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine consists of four special purpose units, four units of information and psychological special operations, and a mixed aviation squadron.
Currently, Brigadier General Oleksandr Trepak is the commander of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Most of the operations of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are classified as "secret". It is known that the Special Operations Forces took part in the defense of the airfield in Gostomel and Mykolaiv airport , liberated Zmiinyi and settlements in Kharkiv region, etc.
