State Border Guard Service
Державна прикордонна служба
Service emblem
Service emblem
Service flag
Service flag
AbbreviationSBGS / ДПСУ
Agency overview
FormedJuly 31, 2003
Preceding agency
  • State Committee for Protection of the State Border of Ukraine
Employees~ 60 000 (2022)[1]
Jurisdictional structure
National agencyUkraine
Operations jurisdictionUkraine
General nature
Specialist jurisdiction
  • National border patrol, security, and integrity.
Operational structure
Headquarters26, Volodymyrska st, Kyiv[2]
Agency executive
  • Serhiy Deyneko[3], Head of the SBGS
Parent agencyMinistry of Internal Affairs
Child agency
Notables
Significant operations
Website
dpsu.gov.ua

The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (SBGS; Ukrainian: Державна Прикордонна Служба України, romanized: Derzhavna Prykordonna Sluzhba Ukrainy; abbr. ДПСУ, DPSU) is the border guard of Ukraine. It is an independent law enforcement agency, organized by the Constitution of Ukraine as a military formation, the head of which is subordinated to the President of Ukraine.[4]

The Service was created on July 31, 2003, after the reorganization of the State Committee for Protection of the State Border. During wartime, units of the State Border Guard Service fall under the command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The State Border Guard Service includes the Ukrainian Sea Guard, which is the country's coast guard. It is also responsible for running Temporary Detention Centres, in which refugees are held.

History

Ukrainian border guards are the national successors of the Soviet Border Troops. They were formed from the approximately 17,000 Border Troops located in Ukraine in 1991. The organization was first titled the "Ukrainian Border Troops", which was later subordinated to the "Ukraine's State Committee for State Border Guarding".

From 1991 to at least 1993, the new borders with Russia and Belarus were not guarded; the Border Troops were only deployed along the western borders (minus Moldova) and on the Black Sea.[5] Another 9,000 personnel were added to the Border Troops at the expense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and, by the end of 1993, border posts were established in the north along the Russian and Belarusian borders. In 1999, the authorized strength of the force was again increased to 50,000.

In 2003, new legislation was adopted, and this somewhat changed the legal status of the institution. In March 2003, the Border Troops became the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, and its status was legally changed from 'military formation' to 'special law-enforcement body.' The force was legally granted 50,000 personnel, including 8,000 civilian employees.

On 4 July 2012, a State Border Guard Service Diamond DA42 aircraft failed to make its scheduled radio contact with ground units. A Search and rescue mission revealed that the plane had crashed into a wooded mountainous area in Velykyi Bereznyi Raion, killing all 3 crew members on board. A further investigation was launched.[6]

During The War in Donbas on August 31, 2014, two Sea Guard Zhuk class patrol boats were struck by land-based artillery. In June 2, a border base in the outskirts of Luhansk was besieged by a troop of Luhansk People's Republic separatists. The Siege of the Luhansk Border Base resulted in 10 wounded Border Guards until they surrendered and withdrew.[7][8]

In 2022, during the Battle of Snake Island 13 border troops were attacked and captured by Russian warships. A unit of border guards was stationed in Mariupol and fought during the Siege of Mariupol. In 20 April, the border guards were stranded in an encircled pocket at the Mariupol sea port together with National Police of Ukraine, until they were rescued by the Azov Regiment and retreated into the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works.[9]

Structure

State Border Guard Service of Ukraine is a special enforcement branch tasked with the protection of Ukrainian state border on land, sea or any other inland water obstacle.[10] During wartime, the Border Guards units fall under the command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.[11] They were the first Ukrainian units to counter Russian invasion on February 24, 2022.[12]

Mobile response units

Border detachments

Maritime Security

Aviation

Volunteer Units

Commanders

Directors (commanders) of the Border Guard Service (border troops):

Military ranks

Main article: Military ranks of Ukraine

Uniform

Long service medal

Equipment

Model Image Origin Variant Number Details
Anti-tank
Stugna-P  Ukraine [17]
NLAW  Sweden
 United Kingdom 		Several hundred Used by the Luhansk border guards.[18]
SPG-9  Soviet Union
 Bulgaria 		SPG-9M
ATGL-H 		Bulgarian made rifles are also used.[19]
Artillery
BS-3  Soviet Union Reactivated after the 2022 Russian invasion.[20]
RAK-12  Croatia RAK-SA-12 [21]
ZU-23-2  Soviet Union
 Poland 		ZU-23-2CP Used on static positions or mounted on trucks.[22]
Armoured personnel carrier
BM Triton [uk]  Ukraine 63 [23]
Roshel Senator  Canada Used by the Chernihiv border guards.[24]
M113  United States 50 Purchased by the Ukrainian Ministry of Energy and energy sector companies.[25]
MRAP
Kozak  Ukraine Kozak-2 17 [26]
KRAZ Cougar  Canada
 Ukraine		 3+ [27]
Vehicles
Ural-4320  Soviet Union Medium truck [28]
ZiL-131 Medium truck [28]
GAZ-66 Medium truck (2 tonnes) [28]
KamAZ-5320 Heavy truck (8 tonnes) [28]
KamAZ-4310 Heavy truck (6 tonnes) [28]
KAMAZ-43114  Russia Heavy truck (6 tonnes) Purchased prior to the Russo-Ukrainian war.[28]
KrAZ-257  Soviet Union Heavy truck (12 tonnes) [28]
KrAZ-255B Heavy truck (12 tonnes) [28]
KrAZ-260 Heavy truck [28]
KrAZ-6322  Ukraine Heavy truck [28]
KrAZ-6510 Dump truck [28]
KrAZ-5233 Heavy truck (6 tonnes) [28]
IVECO Trakker  Italy Dump truck Donated by Germany.[29]
Mercedes Benz Unimog  Germany Truck Donated by Germany.[29]
UAZ-3163  Russia Off-road vehicle [30]
Land Rover Defender  UK Off-road vehicle 55[31][32]
Volkswagen Amarok  Germany Off-road vehicle 20[33]
Toyota Land Cruiser 200  Japan Off-road vehicle 20[34]
Dacia Duster  France
 Romania 		Off-road vehicle 10[35]
UAZ-3303  Russia Off-road vehicle [36]
Mitsubishi L200  Japan Off-road vehicle 40 Donated by the US in 2021.[37]
UAZ-3962  Russia [38]
Volkswagen Transporter  Germany Bus 10[35][39]
Ford Transit  USA Bus 10[40]
Bogdan A092  Ukraine Bus [41]
ЛАЗ-695  Soviet Union Bus [42][43]
Rosenbauer Panther  Austria Airport crash tender 2 Donated by Germany.[44]
Other vehicles
Bombardier Outlander 400 MAX  Canada 100[45]
Polaris 600 IQ Touring  Canada 50[46]
Minsk (motorcycle)  Belarus 183
Caterpillar 336-08  United States Excavator 1 Donated by Germany.[29]
Aircraft
Diamond DA40  Austria TDI 5
Diamond DA42  Austria M-NG 4
Antonov An-24  Soviet Union RV 1
Airbus H125  France 7 In total 24 helicopters to be received.[47]
Antonov An-26  Soviet Union 1
Mil Mi-8  Soviet Union T/MT/MTV 5

Gallery

Robed woman, seated, with sword on her lap
The State Border Guard Service's headquarters in Kyiv
Robed woman, seated, with sword on her lap
Border Guards at the Belarus–Ukraine border, 2021.
Robed woman, seated, with sword on her lap
State Border Guard armored vehicle
Robed woman, seated, with sword on her lap
Ukrainian Border Guard post in Kyiv Oblast shelled by Russian missiles in the first day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, 24 February 2022.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Мільйон українців у формі захищає Україну від росіян". July 9, 2022.
  2. ^ "Official website of the authority.Contact Us". 2017.
  3. ^ "УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №403/2019". Official website of the President of Ukraine (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2019-06-14.
  4. ^ "Main tasks of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine". dpsu.gov.ua. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
  5. ^ Leonid Polyakov, 'Paramilitary Structures in Ukraine,' Almanac on Security Sector Governance in Ukraine 2010, 143-144, Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces.
  6. ^ "Фотографии с места катастрофы самолета Diamond DA-42 в Закарпатье". Reporter UA. July 5, 2012.
  7. ^ Qena, Nebi (2014-06-04). "6 militants killed, 3 Ukrainian troops injured in Luhansk fighting". CTVNews. Retrieved 2022-05-01.
  8. ^ "500 separatists storm border control building in Luhansk, Ukraine". UPI. Retrieved 2022-05-01.
  9. ^ "Marines and "Azov" rescue 500 fighters from the port of Mariupol - media". Ukrayinska Pravda. Retrieved 2022-05-01.
  10. ^ "With Invasion of Ukraine, Security Council's 2022 Efforts to Maintain International Peace, Stability Mired by Widening Rifts between Veto-Wielding Members - World | ReliefWeb". reliefweb.int. 12 January 2023. Retrieved 2023-02-20.
  11. ^ Chao-Fong, Léonie; Thomas, Tobi; Beazley, Jordyn (2023-02-07). "Kyiv claims last 24 hours was deadliest day of conflict for Russian troops – as it happened". the Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-02-20.
  12. ^ Lister, Tim (2023-02-20). "After nearly one year of war, how Ukraine defied the odds — and may still defeat Russia". CNN. Retrieved 2023-02-20.
  13. ^ "New Offensive Guard Brigade has been formed". Militaryland. 30 January 2024. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  14. ^ a b President appoints Nazarenko as new border chief, Interfax-Ukraine (23 October 2014)
  15. ^ Poroshenko appoints Head of Operations Department Tsyhykal as State Border Service chief, Interfax-Ukraine (25 July 2017)
  16. ^ Zelensky appoints new chief border guard, UNIAN (14 June 2019)
  17. ^ "HE missiles for Stugna ATGM were spotted on the frontline". Militarnyi. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  18. ^ "Border guards in Luhansk region were armed with NLAW ATGMs". Militarnyi. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  19. ^ "Ukrainian paratroopers equipped with SPG-9 are destroying the equipment and trenches of Russian infantry". Militarnyi. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  20. ^ "Ukrainian Armed Forces have been armed with BS-3 field guns". Militarnyi. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  21. ^ "Ukrainian Border Guards received Croatian RAK-SA-12 MRL". Militarnyi. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  22. ^ "Ukrainian border guards received new ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft guns". Militarnyi. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  23. ^ Malyasov, Dylan. "State Border Guard Service Of Ukraine Will Receive 62 New "Triton" Reconnaissance Vehicle". Defence Blog. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  24. ^ "Chernihiv border guards receive Senator APC armored vehicles". Militarnyi. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  25. ^ "Ukrainian power companies buy 50 M113 APCs for border guards". Militarnyi. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  26. ^ International Institute for Strategic Studies (2022). The Military Balance 2022 (Report). Abingdon, Oxon. p. 214. ISBN 978-1032279008.
  27. ^ "Ukrainian Border Guard has received the new batch of KrAZ "Kuguar" light armored personnel carriers". State Border Guard Service of Ukraine Official Website. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  28. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l B., Volodymyr. "Unified truck platform for the Ukrainian Defense Forces: KrAZ, MAZ, or Tatra?". Militarnyi. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  29. ^ a b c "Ukrainian border guards receive aircraft refuelers and trucks from Germany". Militarnyi. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  30. ^ "Cпеціальні навчання мобільних підрозділів". Archived from the original on February 15, 2015.
  31. ^ "Державна прикордонна служба України отримала сучасну автомобільну техніку та обладнання майже на 135 мільйонів гривень". Archived from the original on February 13, 2015.
  32. ^ "МИНОБОРОНЫ, СБУ, МВД И ГОСПОГРАНСЛУЖБА УКРАИНЫ ПОЛУЧИЛИ ОТ ГОСУДАРСТВА НОВЫЕ АВТОМОБИЛИ СКОРОЙ МЕДИЦИНСКОЙ ПОМОЩИ". Archived from the original on February 24, 2015.
  33. ^ «ЗакарпатевроТранс II» переоборудовал авто на спецзаказ от Госпогранслужбы Archived 2016-01-16 at the Wayback Machine
  34. ^ "Пограничникам подарили бронированные Volkswagen и Toyota". Archived from the original on February 15, 2015.
  35. ^ a b "Львівські прикордонники отримали сучасну техніку від ЄС (фоторепортаж)". Archived from the original on March 27, 2015.
  36. ^ "Прикордонники їдуть на східний кордон. Хмельницький" – via www.youtube.com.
  37. ^ Pryma, Andrew (9 February 2022). "Ukrainian State border guards received the first batch of SUVs from the USA". UBN. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
  38. ^ "Bogdan Corporation hands over some 50 upgraded Bogdan 2251 ambulance vehicles to Armed Forces in Aug". Interfax-Ukraine. 10 September 2018. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  39. ^ "Украинские пограничники пересядут на новые микроавтобусы Volkswagen | авто портал приазовья". avtoazov.com.ua.
  40. ^ "Автомобили Ford Transit - на защите границ Украины – Автоцентр.ua". Автоцентр. May 21, 2012.
  41. ^ "MORE THAN 500 BUS RIDES HAVE BEEN ORGANISED TO TRANSPORT 22,000 CITIZENS WHO CAME TO THE BORDER ON FOOT". dpsu.gov.ua. 3 April 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  42. ^ "Просмотр фотографии". transit.parovoz.com.
  43. ^ "Закарпатці повернулися із пекла війни (ФОТО)".
  44. ^ "Ukrainian border guards received airfield fire trucks from Germany". Militarnyi. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  45. ^ В Государственной пограничной службе Украины подвели годовые итоги и определили основные направления деятельности в 2013 году Archived 2014-03-22 at the Wayback Machine
  46. ^ "Харьковские пограничники отметили 20-летие Восточного управления погранслужбы - Новости Харькова и Харьковской области. МГ «Объектив»". archive.objectiv.tv.
  47. ^ "Three more helicopters fly from France to Ukraine for Border Guard Service". en.interfax.com.ua. 22 December 2021.

External links

Central offices of executive authority of Ukraine
Law enforcement and security in Ukraine
Armed Forces of Ukraine
Border protection agencies (list)
Russo-Ukrainian War
Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation
War in Donbas (2014–2022)
Categories