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Poltava Battalion Ukrainian: батальйон патрульної служби міліції особливого призначення "Полтава"
Battalion Insignia
Active	April 2014 – 2023 June 2024 - present
Country	Ukraine
Allegiance	Ministry of Internal Affairs
Type	Police Tactical Unit

The Poltava Battalion (Ukrainian: батальйон патрульної служби міліції особливого призначення "Полтава") is a Ukrainian battalion that is part of the Special Tasks Patrol Police, under the authority of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The unit consists of approximately 300 policemen, aged between 18 and 45. Various charity organizations in Ukraine have provided basic supplies and medical care for the volunteers of the battalion.

In July 2014, the battalion was deployed to participate in the War in Donbass. On 5 September 2014, the "Myrnyi" police company was merged into the "Poltava" police battalion.

History

In May 2014, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in the Poltava region formed three divisions of the patrol police: the Kaskad Battalion, Poltava's Company, and the "Kremenchuk" Company. In June, the Kaskad Battalion and the Poltava Company were merged into one unit, named BPSMOP "Poltava", with a total of 300 personnel under the leadership of Commander Alexander Fedorenko.

To be admitted to the Community Patrol Service, members of the Poltava Battalion were required to complete a 52-hour basic training course at the Poltava Center for Professional Training. Colonel Yuriy Sulayev, head of the Public Relations Department of the Poltava Ministry of Internal Affairs, noted that the battalion's personnel were provided with necessary ammunition, including weapons, body armour, helmets, two sets of black uniforms, and one set of camouflage gear. Some of the ammunition was preserved in warehouses, leading to an undesirable situation.

On July 18, the operational group of Battalion "Poltava" embarked on its first service mission to the combat zone in eastern Ukraine.

On August 20, a second operational group from Battalion "Poltava" arrived to serve in the area of the anti-terrorist operation in the Donetsk region, near Horlivka. From there, Poltava was moved to the village of Kommunar near Makiivka to reinforce the 25th Brigade. From August 24 to September 4, the battalion's positions were under daily heavy artillery fire. During the fighting, two soldiers from Poltava were injured. On September 4, 29 soldiers left without orders for Artemivsk, while 24 fighters remained in Kommunar.

On September 5, 2014, the Ukrainian Minister of Internal Affairs, Arsen Avakov, issued an order merging the BPSMOP "Poltava" with the patrol service of a special purpose (RPSMOP) "Peaceful," which was then being formed in Poltava, into the "Poltava Region" battalion. The commander of the new battalion was appointed as the coordinator of RPSMOP "Peaceful," Illia Kyva, who was promoted to the rank of Major in the Militia. The head of GUMVS in the Poltava region, Ivan Korsun, confirmed Avakov’s order. Illia Kyva also managed the Poltava Center of the Right Sector and served as the regional political leader of the Right Sector in eastern Ukraine (Poltava, Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Luhansk regions).

On September 8, 2014, representatives of the Poltava community and certain former fighters of BPSMOP "Poltava" organized a rally near the GUMVS office in the Poltava region, expressing dissatisfaction with Illia Kyva’s appointment to his new post.

After reformation, the Poltavshchina Battalion began preparing for deployment to the ATO zone, initially scheduled for September 15, 2014. The soldiers underwent additional training at the former international children's camp "Vasilok" near the village of Volovach, in the Poltava region, and at a training site near the village of Vakulets in Poltava's Leninsky district. In an interview with Poltava television, Battalion Commander Kiva mentioned that instructors from Israel, who had previously trained renowned volunteer units like the National Guard's "Donbas" Battalion and the "Dnipro-1" Battalion, were involved in the training. However, the press later reported that the deployment of the Poltavshchina fighters to the ATO zone in Donbas had been postponed.

On September 29, the battalion's operational group, fully equipped, left for a one-month service trip to the ATO zone.

Following a protest within the battalion against the leadership of Ilya Kiva, he was dismissed from his post by an order from A. Avakov. Subsequently, the Poltavshchina Battalion was disbanded, and a new special assignment battalion, "Poltava," comprising about 275 personnel, was formed from its members. Yuriy Anuchin, a well-known machine gunner from the volunteer Azov Battalion with the callsign "Bear," was appointed commander of the newly created battalion.

On 14 April 2023, after 9 years of service, the "Poltava" battalion was disbanded as part of the police department's reform. After the disbandment, almost 70% of the soldiers of the disbanded battalion were transferred to Liut Brigade. However in 2024, it was recreated as the Poltava Rifle Battalion.

Structure

• 1st Company
• 2nd Company
• 3rd Kremenchuk Company

See also

• List of special law enforcement units

References

1. ^ "Условия набора: Возраст от 18 до 45 лет"
   На Полтавщине создаются подразделения патрульной службы милиции особого назначения под названиями «Каскад», «Полтава», «Кременчуг» // сайт города Кременчуг от 17 апреля 2014
2. Спецпідорозділи «Каскад» та «Полтаву» об’Єднали в один батальйон Archived 2 November 2014 at the Wayback Machine // "Новини Полтавщини" от 18 июня 2014
3. В зону АТО відправляються батальйони "Львів", "Полтава", "Скіф" і "Богдан"
4. "Наказом від 5.09.2014 батальйон "Полтава" та рота "Мирний" об'єднані в батальйон "Полтавщина" (ФОТО)". Official website of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine (in Ukrainian). 9 September 2014. Archived from the original on 9 October 2014.
5. "Спецпідорозділи "Каскад" та "Полтаву" об'єднали в один батальйон | Новини Полтавщини". 2 November 2014. Archived from the original on 2 November 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
6. "Бійці спецпідрозділу "Полтава" вважають свого командира "засланим козачком"". Інтернет-видання «Полтавщина» (in Ukrainian). 28 July 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
7. "Міліція Полтавщини стверджує, що спецпідрозділи забезпечені необхідною амуніцією". Інтернет-видання «Полтавщина» (in Ukrainian). 16 June 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
8. "29 бойцов батальона "Полтава" вышли из-под обстрела "Градов", чтобы выжить". Інтернет-видання «Полтавщина» (in Ukrainian). 4 September 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
9. "Замкомандира батальона "Полтава" считает, что часть бойцов нарушили присягу". Інтернет-видання «Полтавщина» (in Ukrainian). 5 September 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
10. "МВС повідомляє про створення нового батальйону особливого призначення". ua.korrespondent.net (in Russian). Retrieved 31 March 2021.
11. "Корсун порівняв новостворений батальйон "Полтавщина" із штрафбатом | Kolo.poltava.ua". 11 September 2014. Archived from the original on 11 September 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
12. "Ярош формує новий підрозділ "Правого сектору" на Сході України". www.unian.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 31 March 2021.
13. "snaua.info - Leader of the Social-National Assembly Andriy Biletsky was appointed head of the power bloc of the Right Sector-East". 17 July 2014. Archived from the original on 17 July 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
14. "Ілля Кива став командиром об'єднаного батальйону "Полтавщина"". Інтернет-видання «Полтавщина» (in Ukrainian). 8 September 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
15. "Призначення командира об'єднаного батальйону "Полтавщина" спровокувало скандал (оновлено) | Kolo.poltava.ua". 10 September 2014. Archived from the original on 10 September 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
16. "Батальйон "Полтавщина" не поїде на Схід, бо командир не склав присягу". Тижневик «ЕХО» (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 31 March 2021.
17. "Бійці зведеного батальйону "Полтавщина" відмовляються служити під командуванням Киви (фото, відео) – Новини Полтавщини". np.pl.ua. Archived from the original on 24 October 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
18. "До зони АТО з Полтави вирушив новостворений батальйон "Полтавщина"". 24 Канал (in Ukrainian). 29 September 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
19. "Бійці батальйону "Полтава" отримали нового командира". Інтернет-видання «Полтавщина» (in Ukrainian). 26 November 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
20. 70% складу бійців розформованого батальйону «Полтава» воюють у складі бригади «Лють»
21. На Полтавщині створили новий стрілецький батальйон поліції
22. Новостворений стрілецький батальйон поліції Полтавщини готується до виконання бойових завдань

• Poltava Oblast in the Russo-Ukrainian War
• Military units and formations established in 2014
• 2014 establishments in Ukraine
• Special tasks patrol police of Ukraine