Territorial Defence Forces (Ukraine)


The Territorial Defence Forces are the military reserve component of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The Territorial Defence Forces were formed after the reorganization of the Territorial Defence Battalions, volunteer militias created during the war in Donbas under the command of the Ministry of Defence. Territorial Defence units existed from 2015 until 2021 in semi-organized forms until 2022 when they were officially organized into a unified corps that formed a separate branch of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
It is formed by a core of part-time reservists, usually former combat veterans, and in cases of war can be expanded to include local civilian volunteers for local defense, in a case of mass mobilization, with the core expected to lead the mobilized volunteers. The TDF was officially activated with the start of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, and more than 100,000 civilians had volunteered by March.
The International Legion of Territorial Defence of Ukraine, formed by foreign volunteers, was part of the Territorial Defense Forces up to 2023.
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History

In 2014 the Armed Forces of Ukraine suffered a series of military defeats; the Annexation of Crimea by Russia led to the takeover of the peninsula as most of the military either surrendered without resistance or defected to Russia. While in the initial stages war in Donbas, the Ukrainian military had a number of setbacks and defeats against the pro-Russian separatist forces, as they were ill-prepared, ill-equipped, lacking in professionalism, morale, fighting spirit and with severe incompetence in the high command.
As the Donbas situation deteriorated, many civilians started to form volunteer militias and paramilitary groups to fight the separatists, known as the "Volunteer Battalions". The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine started to organize and mobilize some of these units under their command as the Territorial Defence Battalions. The Territorial Defense Battalions and other Volunteer Battalions were credited with having held the line against separatist forces and allowing the Ukrainian military to reorganize and mobilize.
In late 2014 the system of territorial defense of Ukraine changed. Territorial defense battalions were reorganized and transferred to the mechanized infantry brigade of the Army. To replace them, a new structure of the territorial defense forces of the Armed Forces was gradually introduced.
The example of Ukrainian Forces was later used by Poland to build its own armed forces, which from 2015 and on implemented a similar practice.
On 25 May 2021, President Volodymyr Zelensky introduced a law to the Verkhovna Rada "on the basis of national resistance" that proposed to increase the number of the territorial forces by 11,000 servicemen. The old Territorial Defence units would be now organized under the new Territorial Defense Forces as a standalone branch of the Armed Forces. Veterans of the Donbas war from the Armed Forces of Ukraine, National Guard of Ukraine and other paramilitary forces involved in the conflict would provide a backbone to train and lead the mobilized volunteers. On 16 July 2021 parliament approved this bill, and on 29 July 2021 Zelensky signed the law. On 1 January 2022, the Territorial Defence Forces were officially activated. The creation of the branch coincided with the Russian military build-up which had been ongoing since 2021.
On 11 February 2022, the planned number of volunteers was increased from 1.5 to 2 million.
As a result of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Territorial Defense Forces reserves were activated and many civilians joined local Territorial Defense Forces groups to fight the Russian invaders. On 25 February, during the rapid Russian offensive into Kyiv, the Ukrainian government distributed 18,000 guns for people wishing to fight in Kyiv. For the next few days, the Territorial Forces were engaged in various combat situations and battles around Ukraine, supporting the Ukrainian Ground Forces and National Guard of Ukraine. By 6 March, almost 100,000 people had volunteered for the Territorial Defense Forces. Some units stopped accepting volunteer as they reached their operational limit. There were reports of Ukrainian volunteers paying bribes or using connections to join the Territorial Defense.
On 27 February, as a result of many foreigners volunteering to fight for Ukraine, President Zelenskyy created the International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine, a foreign legion which was placed under the command of the Territorial Defense Forces. A TDF battalion, the Bratstvo battalion, was active in multiple major campaigns during the 2022 invasion, including the defense of Kyiv, the Kharkiv counteroffensive, and the liberation of Kherson. It is currently conducting riverine operations through its special forces unit.
The Territorial Defense Forces were in charge of engaging in Partisan work and Guerrilla warfare on territory occupied by Russian forces. In Kherson, local civilians joined local TDF units and formed cells in order to provide Partisan work, such as espionage, sabotage, assassination and reconnaissance.
In September 2022, the 113th Territorial Defense Brigade also partook in the Kharkiv counteroffensive namely in the direction of Vovchansk. Ukrainian units liberated most of the Kharkiv Oblast following the collapse of Russian frontline forces. This has been attributed to the lack of secondary and tertiary defensive lines.
Ukraine's TDF had been historically receiving less and worse equipment than regular ZSU and National Guard forces while at the same time being frequently operating in hot zones where general armed forces would be more suitable. This tendency to plug gaps in defense with TDF, leading to increased losses and defense failures, had been one of the points of criticism of Ukrainian military command.

Tasks

In accordance with the Constitution and legislation passed by the Supreme Council, the TDF fulfills the following missions:
  • Protection of public authorities, local governments, critical facilities, important public enterprises and communications
  • Deployment at checkpoints
  • Combating sabotage and intelligence forces of the enemy and any illegal armed formations and looters
  • Maintaining safety and security in any of the administrative divisions of Ukraine
  • Organization of resistance and guerrilla groups – in case of territory being captured by the enemy
  • Providing search and rescue and disaster response and mitigation during cases of peacetime natural and man-made disasters in support of other uniformed organizations

Structure

Ukraine's territorial lands is divided into defense zones according to upper-level administrative units, which in turn are subordinate to the relevant operational command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in whose area of responsibility these administrative units belong.
Each military commissariat forms a security or militia infantry company, and the regional military commissariats, in addition, are responsible for the territorial defense battalions. Each district military commissariat in the area of its responsibility is responsible for the raising of two to five militia detachments of company size, depending on the assigned tasks. Approximate staff strength - 423,428 service personnel.
Territorial defense brigades are recruited on the basis of the military reserve and are reporting to the office of the regional military commissioner.

Territorial Defense Brigade

  • Brigade Administration and HQ Company
  • 5-9 Territorial Infantry Battalions
  • Counter-Sabotage Company
  • Field Artillery/Anti-Tank Battery
  • Fire Support Company
  • Mortar Battery
  • Armored Infantry/Tank Company/Battalion
  • Combat Support Formations
  • * Air Defense Artillery Battery
  • * Combat Engineer Battalion/Company
  • * Signals Company
  • Service Support Units
  • Brigade Depot

Territorial Rifle Battalion

  • Battalion Administration Company
  • 3 Infantry Companies
  • Fire Support Company
  • Reconnaissance Platoon
  • Field Communication Unit
  • Engineer Platoon
  • Material Support Platoon
  • Technical Control Point
  • Unit size: 492 Servicemen
  • Weapons: ZU-23-2, 82 mm mortar 2B9 «Vasilek» RPG-7, AK, PM
  • Vehicle: Automotives

Military Commissariat Defense Company

  • Headquarters and HQ Platoon
  • 4 Protection Platoons
  • Unit size: 121 people
  • Weapons: RPG-7, AK, PM
  • Vehicle: Automotive

Defense Detachment

  • Detachment HQ platoon
  • 9 Infantry Platoons
  • Economic Department
  • Maintenance Department of Automotive Engineering
  • Health Center
  • Unit size: 278 people
  • Weapons: RPG-7, AK, PM
  • Vehicle: Automotive

Civil Defense (Teroborona)

Militiamen of the Civil Defence of the TDF, while being paramilitary, are also affiliated to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. They are organized similarly to the territorial battalions and/or companies.

International Legion

As a former subdivision of the TDFU, the International Legion of Territorial Defense was organized as an operational division with brigades/regiments or independent battalions, structured in like manner as the territorial battalions mentioned above. Around 2023, the International Legion was reasigned to the Ukrainian Ground Forces.

Units

Operational Command West

As of 2024 the structure is as follows:

Operational Command North

Operational Command South

Operational Command East

Formations transferred to the Armed Forces

Organisation

Territorial defense throughout Ukraine is organized by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, or regional governments in the relevant areas, within their powers. Direct supervision of state territorial defense is done by the head of the General Staff, with the Commander of the Armed Forces assuming overall supervision through the General Staff and the office of the Commander of the TDF.
Because of their territorial defense tasks the Territorial Defense Forces are involved in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other military formations formed in accordance with the Constitution and laws of Ukraine, including law enforcement forces, units of the State Special Transport Service, State Special Communications Service of Ukraine and the relevant bodies and offices of the government of the republic.
Regional military commissariats form separate rifle battalions. District military commissariats form defense units in an amount of 2 to 5 units, depending on the assigned tasks. Regional and district military commissariats have a staff defence company, involved in the task of territorial defense.
All units are equipped reservists and military service obligatories. Preparation of the units of TD held within educational meeting of military service and the activities carried out between these.
Units of the ILTD were made up of veterans of foreign armed forces and organized in like manner as the rest of the TDF.

Commanders