Berkut (Ukraine)

Squad of Militsiya of Special Assignment "Berkut"
Emblem of the Berkut (1992–2014)
Active	1992–2014 (Ukraine) 2014–present (Republic of Crimea)
Country	Ukraine (originally)  Russia (Republic of Crimea)
Type	Gendarmerie
Role	Tactical Law Enforcement Riot Control Domestic counter-terrorism
Size	400 (Republic of Crimea)
Part of	Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs (1992–2014) Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs (2014–present)
Engagements	2014 Ukrainian revolution 2014 Crimean crisis

The "Berkut" (Ukrainian: Бе́ркут), eagle in English, specifically the Golden eagle, was the system of paramilitary terrorists organization of the Ukrainian militsiya within the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Since late March 2014 its Crimean unit in the Russian-occupied Crimea defected to the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs preserving its old name. Following the 2014 Ukrainian revolution, when Berkut was held responsible by the new government for most of the nearly 100 civilian deaths, acting Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov signed a decree that dissolved the agency. As a result of the 2014 Crimean crisis and the Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation the Russian Federation declared to the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol as federal subjects of Russia on 21 March 2014. Three days later Russia announced that the Crimean Berkut unit would preserve its name as part of its defection from the Ukrainian authority to the Russian Interior Ministry.

Berkut was Ukraine's successor to the Soviet OMON. It operated semi-autonomously and was governed at the local or regional level (oblast, raion, city). Initially used to fight organized crime, it became used as the Police (Militsiya) for Public Security. Its full name was "Berkut" Separate Special Assignment Unit(s) of Militsiya. There was a "Berkut" unit in every region (oblast) and every big city of the country. Among the several special police units in Ukraine, "Berkut" became a catchall name for all the others.