Territorial defence battalions (Ukraine)

Territorial defence battalions (Ukrainian: Батальйо́ни територіа́льної оборо́ни) are volunteer military units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine under the command of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence in 2014–2015. The battalions established themselves in mid-2014, during the early stages of the War in Donbass, to combat the stealth invasion by Russian Armed Forces and the forces of the Donetsk People's Republic, Luhansk People's Republic, and the United Armed Forces of Novorossiya. 32 volunteer territorial defence battalions have been formed. In autumn 2014 most of the territorial defence battalions were reorganized as motorized infantry battlions.

In March 2014 acting President of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov issued an order to create seven territorial defence battalions. These formations were subordinated to the Ministry of Defense. Battalions generally took their name from wherever most of their recruits were from.

Since 30 April 2014 all territorial defence battalions have been part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and fall under the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the governors of the oblasts (provinces) in which they were created. By law, every oblast in Ukraine should create its own territorial defence battalions.

During the opening stages of the war in Eastern Ukraine, the Ukrainian military and police forces were largely ineffective in separatist areas, often surrendering equipment or being overwhelmed in cities by large crowds of civilians. Federalist and pro-Russian insurgents quickly gained large swaths of territory. Ukraine also lost control of the Ukrainian-Russian border and this allowed time for a large inflow of insurgents and military supplies from Russia.

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