National Guard of Ukraine (Національна гвардія України; Natsionalna hvardiia Ukrainy; НГУ or NHU). The military formation with law enforcement functions within the Interior Ministry of Ukraine, distinct from the National Police of Ukraine and the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Analogous to the National Guard in the United States of America, the French gendarmerie, or the Italian carabinieri, it exists to safeguard the constitutional order, to protect the population from violence, and to guard state institutions and their personnel.

Originally formed in 1991 out of the Soviet-era Internal Army, the purpose of which was to defend the Stalinist regime from its own people, the NHU’s role and functions were at first not clearly defined. Consequently, in these early years it became an object of political contestation by and among the various branches of government. In March 1995 President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma fully subordinated the NHU to himself as its commander-in-chief. But in January 2000 as a cost-saving measure, the NHU was disbanded altogether and its components redistributed to other law enforcement bodies and military formations. In 2008 President Viktor Yushchenko attempted to revive the NHU, but failed.

In March 2014 in the face of the Russian Federation’s invasion and annexation of the Crimea, and on the initiative of Acting President Oleksandr Turchynov, the NHU was revived. With an authorized strength of 60,000 servicemen, it was to be built of former members of the Internal Army and pre-2000 NHU, new recruits, and volunteer battalions spawned by the Euromaidan Revolution.

Under the law passed by the Supreme Council of Ukraine on 13 March 2014, the basic functions of the NHU included: defending the constitutional order as well as the territorial integrity of Ukraine; preserving public order, particularly during mass meetings and demonstrations; guarding state institutions, nuclear facilities, and special transports; and stopping armed conflicts and crimes as well as helping deal with natural disasters. The first real task of the renewed NHU was participation in the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) counteracting Donbas separatists who were being aided by Russian agents, supplies, and military personnel. Comparatively lightly armed because of their earlier defensive orientation, these units were no match for Russian tanks. Consequently, in 2016 the training of the armed components of the NHU was upgraded and systematized to bring it into line with standards of Western armies. By the start of 2017, it had completely transitioned to NATO standards in structure and operation. The National Guard did manage to take part in several important ATO actions including the liberation of Popasna, Sievierodonetsk, and Lysychansk, and the defence of Mariupol.

The issue of the NHU’s politization re-emerged immediately after the election of Volodymyr Zelensky in 2019 when, in the course of expanding his power, the new president of Ukraine attempted to take control of the NHU away from Interior Minister Arsen Avakov. There had likewise been tensions between the occupants of the two offices under President Petro Poroshenko. This subsided once Avakov tendered his resignation in July 2021 and was replaced by Zelensky’s nominee, Denys Monsatyrsky, a political associate.

Once the Russian Federation launched its full-scale military offensive against Ukraine in February 2022 and martial law was declared, the NHU came under the command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Its personnel were incorporated into various military units engaged in defensive as well as offensive operations. The Azov Brigade in particular distinguished itself in the defence of Mariupol from its base in the Azovstal steelworks where it held out for 86 days—almost the entire time completely surrounded—before surrendering and being taken prisoners. By May 2023 six Offensive Guard (Hvardiia nastupu) assault brigades were formed composed solely of NHU troops. In July 2023 President Volodymyr Zelensky appointed Oleksii Pivnenko as commander of the National Guard. Foreigners, including Americans, were allowed to join the NHU, with the exception of certain of its components. In June 2024 the United States lifted its ban on supplying weapons to the Azov Brigade, no longer tainted by allegations of association with far-right groups as it had been in 2014.

By 26 February 2024, according to the NHU’s own account, the National Guard had eliminated over 5,500 Russian invaders, as well as 945 tanks, 410 BMPs, 319 BTRs, 863 armored fighting vehicles, 1,300 autos, 1,320 artillery systems, 18 aircraft, 12 helicopters, and 174 pilotless flying machines. The NHU established its first aerial drone unit in September 2024, following the lead of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. These were also used to control mine-laying and mine-clearing unmanned vehicles or robotic land rovers pioneered by the NHU’s Khartiia Brigade. The unit was a generator of innovations in what is known as ‘data-based warfare,’ using technology in novel ways. Following the example of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in April 2025, two NHU ‘corps’ were formed on the basis of the Azov and Khartiia brigades. The corps system of command and control combined brigades into operational entities as opposed to being administrative units. Higher quality operational command was expected to result.

In addition to combat operations, to which 60 percent of its troops were assigned, the NHU during the Russo-Ukrainian war was engaged in aerial surveillance, demining, and providing over 900 armed units employed for the defence of critical infrastructure sites.

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Bohdan Harasymiw
[This article was written in 2025.]