National Guard of Ukraine

National Guard of Ukraine Національна гвардія України
Patch of the National Guard
Emblem of the National Guard
Badge of the National Guard
Ensign
Abbreviation	NGU
Motto	Честь, Мужність, Закон Honor, Courage, Law
Agency overview
Formed	March 13, 2014[1]
Preceding agency	Internal Troops of Ukraine
Employees	60,000 (2022)[2] ~90,000 (2022)[3]
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction	Ukraine
Constituting instrument	Law on the National Guard of Ukraine, 2014[1]
General nature	Gendarmerie
Operational structure
Headquarters	Kyiv
Agency executive	General Oleksandr Pivnenko[4], Commander
Parent agency	Ministry of Internal Affairs
Notables
Significant operations	Transnistria conflict spillover 1992–94 Crimean crisis[5] 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine War in Donbas Russian invasion of Ukraine
Anniversary	26 March[6]
Website
ngu.gov.ua/en

The National Guard of Ukraine (NGU; Ukrainian: Національна гвардія України, romanized: Natsionalna hvardiia Ukrainy, IPA: [nɐt͡s⁽ʲ⁾ioˈnɑlʲnɐ ˈɦʋɑrd⁽ʲ⁾ijɐ ʊkrɐˈjinɪ], abbr. НГУ) is the Ukrainian national gendarmerie and internal military force. It is part of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, responsible for public security. Originally created as an agency under the direct control of the Verkhovna Rada on 4 November 1991, following Ukrainian independence, it was later disbanded and merged into the Internal Troops of Ukraine in 2000 by President Leonid Kuchma as part of a "cost-saving" scheme. Following the 2014 Revolution of Dignity, amidst the Russian intervention, the National Guard was re-established, and the Internal Troops were disbanded.^[1]

The purpose of the National Guard is to serve as a military unit with law enforcement powers. Its mission is to ensure state security, protect state borders (supporting the State Border Service), participate in activities to neutralize paramilitary armed groups, terrorist organizations, organized groups^{[clarification needed]} and criminal organizations, protect critical infrastructure such as Ukraine's nuclear power plants, diplomatic missions, and buildings of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.^[7] The NGU has sent personnel to UN peacekeeping missions.^[8] During peacetime the National Guard focuses on civilian public security, combating organized crime and controlling civil unrest.^[1] During wartime the National Guard can be mobilized as a regular military force and take part in combat operations alongside the Armed Forces of Ukraine,^[1] which it has done during the war in Donbas^[9] and the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.^[10]