National Guard Day of Ukraine 2026: how it arose, role in the war and key achievements

The National Guard of Ukraine celebrates its professional holiday on March 26. Learn more about the history of the creation of the National Guard, its role in the war, key operations and interesting facts about the guardsmen

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Every year on March 26, Ukraine celebrates National Guard Day, but in the conditions of a full-scale war, this date has long gone beyond the boundaries of a professional holiday. Today is a day about the force that was formed in the most difficult moments of modern history, and about the people who were the first to take the hit.

We suggest you take a look at the history of National Guard Day, learn more about its role in the war and explore key facts that will help you better understand the significance of this structure for the state.

History of the creation of the National Guard of Ukraine

The history of the National Guard of Ukraine dates back to 1991, when, after the declaration of independence, law enforcement institutions began to be formed. It was then that the foundation for the future guard was laid on the basis of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. At the same time, the National Guard of Ukraine appeared in its modern form only in 2014 - at a time when the state was actually reassembling the security system. The annexation of Crimea, the start of hostilities in the east, the confusion of the old security forces – all this required a quick decision.

On March 13, the parliament passed a law on the creation of the NGU. The very next day, 500 volunteers of the Maidan Self-Defense Forces went to training centers. These people became the basis of the new structure, which began to carry out combat missions literally in a matter of weeks.

Later, in 2017, March 13 was established by a resolution of the Verkhovna Rada as the Day of the Ukrainian Volunteer, and March 26 was designated as the Day of the National Guard of Ukraine.

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The Role of the National Guard in the War for Ukraine

Over the past decade, the National Guard, together with other units of the Defense Forces, has been working on the most difficult sections of the front. Back in 2014, it was the NGU fighters who were among the first to stand in the way of hybrid Russian aggression: they liberated the Kharkiv Regional State Administration building, held the defense of Sloviansk, and participated in the liberation of a number of cities in the ATO zone, including Popasna, Severodonetsk, and Lysychansk, and also defended Mariupol.

In 2019-2020, the Guards remained on the front line, restraining the enemy in the Svitlodar Arc area. After the start of the full-scale invasion, they joined the defense and liberation of Kyiv, Chernihiv, and Sumy regions, and fought heavy battles in the east - in particular for Rubizhne, Severodonetsk, and Bakhmut.

In addition, the National Guard servicemen, in particular the Azov unit, became the key pillar of the defense of Mariupol and Azovstal. Together with other units of the garrison, they held the city for 86 days in extremely difficult conditions, 82 of them in complete encirclement. During this time, a significant number of Russian armored vehicles and enemy personnel were destroyed, including elite units, including the Russian GRU forces.

National Guard units also participated in the counteroffensive in the Kharkiv region and the de-occupation of the Kherson region.

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What is the National Guard proud of today?

The National Guard units have made a significant contribution to strengthening combat capability. Among the key achievements is the formation of two corps, “Azov” and “Charter”. Recently, their structure has been strengthened: a regiment of unmanned systems and an assault regiment have been created under each corps. The “Omega” special purpose center operates separately, which systematically performs combat missions.

The use of unmanned technologies also demonstrates significant results: enemy equipment worth over $18 billion has been destroyed, more than 2.5 thousand tanks, thousands of artillery systems and over 9 thousand soldiers have been eliminated.

At the front, the NGU units continue to operate confidently - in particular in the Pokrovsky direction and in the Kharkiv region. The Kupyansk operation, in which, together with the Defense Forces, fighters of the “Charter” corps, in particular, participated, was also an important page. The fighting in the Pokrovskoye direction remained difficult throughout October–December, but the Azov units demonstrated endurance and efficiency.

Today, the National Guard actually functions as a full-fledged combat force, while maintaining law enforcement functions defined by law.

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The work of the National Guard in the rear

The role of the National Guard in the rear is to ensure public security and stability. NGU units protect strategically important infrastructure facilities, perform tasks to counter sabotage and terrorist threats, and are also involved in maintaining public order.

Guardsmen work during mass events, monitoring the safety of participants and preventing offenses. They interact with other law enforcement agencies, assist in responding to emergencies, and participate in the elimination of their consequences.

Who leads the National Guard?

Today, the National Guard is headed by Oleksandr Pivnenko, one of the youngest leaders of this level in Ukrainian law enforcement agencies.

He received military education in Ukraine and rose from an officer to a commander. During the full-scale war, he participated in the battles for Kharkiv and Bakhmut, and in 2022 was awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine.

After his appointment in 2023, his key task was to transform the NGU from a mixed-type structure to a modern combat system with an emphasis on technology and mobility.

Interesting facts about the National Guard of Ukraine

▪️ Today, the National Guard consists of 7 “Guard Offensive” brigades – “Azov”, “Bureviy”, “Kara-Dag”, “Spartan”, “Rubizh”, “Charter”, “Chervona Kalina”.

▪️ Thanks to the successful use of UAV units, the National Guard of Ukraine was actually one of the first in the world to implement the concept of remote warfare in practice. The NGU aerial reconnaissance units are today among the most effective in terms of the number of detected and hit equipment and manpower of the Russian army.

▪️ During the period of full-scale war, the demining groups of the National Guard of Ukraine surveyed and cleared over 24.7 thousand hectares of territories, checked about 898 km of roads and neutralized and destroyed over 36.4 thousand explosive devices.

▪️ Over the 11 years of the National Guard of Ukraine's existence, more than 9,000 of its servicemen have been awarded state awards, and about 50 guardsmen have been awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine.

▪️ The National Guard of Ukraine participates in international peacekeeping operations, representing Ukraine as a reliable partner on the world stage.

▪️ The National Guard has dog units, where service dogs are involved in detecting explosive objects and assist in search and rescue operations in emergency situations.

▪️ National Guard servicemen undergo training according to NATO standards, which ensures a high level of professionalism and compatibility with partner units.

▪️ The level of trust in the National Guard consistently exceeds 80%.

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Future plans

The National Guard continues to change along with the war. Among the priorities for the future are the development of unmanned systems, the creation of new combat units, modernization of weapons, and adaptation of training to real frontline conditions.

At the same time, there is a factor that has not changed since 2014 - people. It is they, not equipment, that determine the resilience of the National Guard.

National Guard Day of Ukraine is not just a date on the calendar, but a reminder of how at a critical moment the country was able to create a force that today holds a significant part of the front and at the same time ensures stability in the rear. And as long as this force exists, Ukraine continues to hold on.

On National Guard Day of Ukraine, we express our sincere gratitude to each guard for their courage, endurance and dedication to service. May your strength, professionalism and unity always remain a pillar of support for the state, and the support of the people - a reliable rear in your daily work. Glory to Ukraine!

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Let us remind you! Day of the Patrol and Patrol Service and Day of the Aviation Navigation Service of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is an opportunity to remember people whose daily work often remains "behind the scenes", but without it the security of the country is impossible. It is these units that ensure order on the ground and the accuracy of actions in the sky, on which the lives of military and civilians depend. We have already talked about those who daily keep Ukraine's course for security and stability.

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