National Guard of Ukraine
| National Guard of Ukraine Національна гвардія України |
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|---|---|
 |
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| Active | 4 November 1991 – 11 January 2000 13 March 2014 – present |
| Country |  Ukraine |
| Allegiance | Government of Ukraine |
| Role | Reserve force / counter-insurgency |
| Size | 46,000 (2016) |
| Part of |
 Internal Affairs Ministry
|
| Anniversaries | 26 March |
| Engagements |
1992–94 Crimean crisis Transnistrian conflict (border security reinforcement Spring/Summer 1992) 2014 Crimean Crisis War in Donbas |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Lieutenant General Yuriy Allerov |
| Insignia | |
| Ensign |  |
The National Guard of Ukraine (NGU; Ukrainian: Національна гвардія України, Natsionalna hvardiya Ukrayiny) is the Ukrainian national gendarmerie. It is part of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. It was originally created as an agency under the direct control of the Ukrainian parliament on 4 November 1991, following Ukrainian independence. It was later disbanded and merged into the Internal Troops of Ukraine on 11 January 2000 by then President Leonid Kuchma, as part of a "cost-saving" scheme. Following the early 2014 Ukrainian revolution on 13 March 2014, amidst the Russian intervention, the National Guard was reestablished and the Internal Troops were disbanded.
During the ongoing war in the Donbass region of Ukraine, the forces of the revived National Guard have fought against pro-Russian separatists. The Azov and Donbass battalions are the largest volunteer units of National Guard by far with a strength of 1,000 and 900 soldiers respectively plus an extensive civilian support network.
The National Guard was recreated in accordance with the Law of Ukraine "On the National Guard of Ukraine" [Law number 4393] dated 12 March 2014, (the draft legislation being originally introduced to the Ukrainian parliament on 11 March). A previous attempt by then President Yushchenko to bring back the National Guard during civil unrest in 2008 had been blocked in the Rada. It was finally re-established in March 2014 after the beginning of the Crimean crisis.
The NSU was originally created by the Law of Ukraine "On the National Guard of Ukraine" dated 4 November 1991, № 1775 -XII. Dissolved by the Law of Ukraine "On Amendments and Additions to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine" dated 11 January 2000. During its early existence, the National Guard was indirectly involved in the Transnistrian conflict during the Spring/Summer of 1992, helping to defend the border against a threatened spill-over of the conflict into Ukraine. Formations involved were the 3rd, 4th and 5th divisions NSU (equipment transferred from the 93rd Motorized Rifle Division was also used in this deployment). Afterwards, up until 1998, National Guard units backed up the border guards in anti-smuggling operations conducted on the border with Moldova and Moldova's breakaway Transnistria region.
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