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Svityaz Company (Ukraine)
The Svityaz Company is a company of the Zakhid Battalion of the Liut Brigade of the Special Tasks Patrol Police subordinated to Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine. The company is currently based in Volyn. It was established in 2014 and has since then seen regular combat on the frontlines. HistoryOn 12 June 2014, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of Volyn announced the creation of Svityaz Company,[1] tasked to perform tasks in the ATO zone along with law enforcement operations. Oleksandr Facevych and Maidan Volyn self-defense fighters were tasked with the company's formation.[2] On 12 July 2014, after completing a month-long training course, the company swore allegiance to Ukraine, Colonel Petro Shpyga, said in his welcoming speech:
On 14 August 2014, the company was deployed to fight in the ATO zone.[4][5] It took part in the Battle of Ilovaisk during which 40 personnel of the company were besieged.[6] On 26 August 2014, separatists conducted artillery shelling of Ilovaisk. By then, the personnel of the company had been besieged for a week but held their positions under constant fire. A soldier of the company (Ishchuk Volodymyr Stepanovych) was killed and another (Svyatoslav Romaniuk) was wounded.[7][8] On 29 August 2014, during the Battle of Ilovaisk, the Ukrainian forces including the personnel of the company, while retreating via the humanitarian corridor were ambushed, six soldiers of the company (Serhii Petrovych Pominkevich,[9] Maksym Volodymyrovych Lyashuk,[10] Oleksandr Mykolayovych Satsyuk,[11] Shoukha Victor Hryhorovych,[12] Siviy Oleksandr Anatoliyovych[13] and Stolyarchuk Myroslav Stanislavovych[14]) are killed as a result of the ambush. A bus of the company was also hit by small arms and then ATGMs completely destroying it.[12] After rest and training, it was deployed to the ATO zone in Vuhlehirsk in December 2014. On 30 January 2015, during the Battle of Debaltseve, the company's personnel were encircled in Vuhlehirsk, from where they fought their way out of the encirclement.[15][6] The positions of the company and it's artillery group were set up in the local boarding school and the House of Culture. During the Battle, the commander directed artillery fire himself, after which the company personnel broke through the encirclement and then marched 15 kilometers to Artemivsk.[16][17] Arsen Avakov stated that:
In February 2015, in relation with ref company's actions during the Battle of Debaltseve, the company's commander Oleksandr Yuriyovych Facevych and deputy commander Hryhoriy Oleksandrovych Rubchuk were granted a "branded firearm", moreover Makar Oleksandrovych Chayuk and Oleksandr Valentinovych Pinchuk were awarded the Badge for Bravery and 30 personnel were awarded the Badge for Distinction in Service.[6]
On 28 July 2015, the company commander Oleksandr Facevych, became the commander of Kyiv Oblast Special Police Forces and was succeeded by Serhii Kozak.[18] On 11 March 2019, it was blessed by the chaplains of the OCU of Volyn and went to the ATO zone.[19] On 24 February 2022, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the company was amongst the first to engage Russian forces, then it became a part of the Zakhid Battalion which then became a part of the Liut Brigade.[20] On 3 April 2023, the "Volyn" company headed by the commander of the Svityaz Company, Oleg Bulatov, went on combat coordination.[21] It is currently fighting on the frontlines.[20][22] Commanders
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