Ukrainian President visits frontline near Derhachi and Vovchansk
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Photo: president.gov.ua)
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the front line in the Kharkiv region and presented awards to the soldiers of the Special Operations Forces, who are celebrating their day today, in the Vovchansk area, according to the president's press service.
"I want to thank you for your heroic operations both behind enemy lines and during the defense and de-occupation of our territories, cities, and villages, starting with the defense of the Donetsk airport in 2014, then Hostomel, Kherson region, and the operation in the Kharkiv region. Please take care of yourselves. Today you are on this front line, probably one of the most difficult. The whole country is counting on you; we will definitely win," Zelenskyy said.
Zelenskyy and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, listened to a report from the Commander of the Special Operations Forces, Oleksandr Trepak, regarding the strategy for the development of the Special Operations Forces and the completed and planned tasks. Brigadier General Trepak spoke about three main areas of activity for the Special Operations Forces: psychological operations and non-kinetic actions, resistance movement in temporarily occupied territories, and actions of special purpose units.
They also discussed further reform and development of the Special Operations Forces' capabilities according to modern challenges and using the best international and domestic experience gained since 2014, the press service reported.
Zelenskyy also visited the town of Derhachi in the Kharkiv region.
"Last year, 18 buildings with 250 apartments were restored here, and shelters were provided for people that were previously unavailable. Work is currently underway to rebuild the local clinic," Zelenskyy noted.
Special Operations Forces of Armed Forces of Ukraine - the elite of Ukrainian military
The Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (SSO) are a separate branch within the Armed Forces of Ukraine, consisting of highly qualified specialists who perform the most complex and dangerous tasks. They are often called "silent killers" or "the shadow of war."
The idea of creating Special Operations Forces in Ukraine emerged in the early 2000s. However, the active development of this branch of the military began after the Revolution of Dignity and Russian aggression.
Officially, the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were established in 2016. This was a response to the challenges of the present day and the necessity of having a highly professional unit capable of operating in difficult conditions.
The range of tasks for the SSO is extremely wide and includes:
- Intelligence: Gathering intelligence information behind enemy lines, detecting and destroying enemy forces and assets.
- Direct actions: Conducting sabotage operations, capturing important objects, and freeing hostages.
- Military support: Assisting other units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, conducting special operations as part of international coalitions.
- Information and psychological operations: Influencing the moral and psychological state of the enemy, spreading disinformation.
