Polish-Ukrainian Peace Force Battalion

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= Polish-Ukrainian Peace Force Battalion


caption=Brigade Insignia
dates= March 21, 1998 - present
country= Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania
allegiance=
branch=
type=
role= participation in international peace-keeping and humanitarian operations under the auspices of international organizations
size= 754
command_structure=Multinational Task Force East (MNTF-E)
garrison=Camp Bondsteel
garrison_label=
nickname=POLUKRBAT, UKRPOLBAT
patron=Polish-Lithuania Hetman Jan Karol Chodkiewicz
Zaporozhian Hetman Petro Konashevych-Sahaidachny
motto=
colors=
colors_label=
march=
mascot=
equipment=
equipment_label=
battles=
anniversaries=
decorations=
battle_honours=
commander1=Lieutenant Colonel Arkadiusz Szkutnik [ [http://www.nato.int/kfor/chronicle/2008/chronicle_07/chronicle_07.pdf Peacekeeper’s Profiles pg. 31] ]
commander1_label=Commander
commander2=Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Zahorodniy
commander2_label=Commander of Ukrainian contingent
commander3=
commander3_label=
notable_commanders=
identification_symbol=
identification_symbol_label=Ukrainian version of the sleeve patch
identification_symbol_2=
identification_symbol_2_label=

Polish-Ukrainian Peace Force Battalion or POLUKRBAT is a Polish-Ukrainian peacekeeping battalion, formed in the late 1990s expressly "for participation in international peace-keeping and humanitarian operations under the auspices of international organizations".

The battalion can be used in international missions approved by the UN Security Council or organized by another organization responsible for maintenance of international peace and security according to the provisions of Chapter 8 of the United Nations Charter or within international forces formed with the approval of the UN Security Council. The battalion can be made fully operational after 30 days from the receipt of a request from the United Nations.

The unit is mutually financed by Ukraine and Poland while other countries provided assistance in non-military aspects, mainly in the advancement of knowledge of English among the troops since English is the operational language of the unit.

Since 2000, the battalion of 545 Polish and 267 Ukrainian soldiers is deployed as part of KFOR, an international peacekeeping force in Kosovo, the Serbian province currently under UN administration.

In June 2006, the Ukrainian contingent was reduced to 179 soldiers.uk icon [http://www.mil.gov.ua/index.php?lang=ua&part=news&sub=read&id=7508 Minister of Defence signed the plan for new rotation of Ukrainian servicemen] ]

Creation

The Kiev and Warsaw governments reached a preliminary agreement to create a joint peacekeeping military formation on October 5, 1995; the first training started in 1996 and the respective national units to comprise the battalion were committed in 1997 when on November 26, the Ministers of Defense of Ukraine and Poland signed the appropriate agreement in Warsaw. [Cite Ukrainian law|type=International agreement|number=1634-14|law=616_007|name=Угода між Україною та Республікою Польща у справі створення спільної військової частини для участі в міжнародних миротворчих і гуманітарних операціях під егідою міжнародних організацій|date=2000-04-06] The Polish component was split from the 14th Armored Brigade and the Ukrainian component was split from the 310th Mechanized Regiment of the 24th Mechanized Division in Yavoriv. [http://www.wp.mil.pl/strona.php?lang=2&idstrona=129 Polish-Ukrainian Peace Force Battalion] on pages of the Polish Ministry of Defense]

The unit was named after two historic military leaders of the respective nations: Polish-Lithuania Hetman Jan Karol Chodkiewicz and Zaporozhian Hetman Petro Konashevych-Sahaidachny, whose mutual campaign that brought about the stinging defeat of the Ottoman Empire in the Battle of Khotin (1621) was one of the very few historic examples of Poles and Ukrainians cooperating together against a mutual enemy.Anton Kryukov, " [http://www.zn.ua/1000/8479/ To throw away the old skin] ", "Zerkalo Nedeli, October 19-25, 2006.]

However, strong resistance from the Ukrainian parliament "(Verkhovna Rada)" to the idea of a joint formation with Poland—the country at the time in line to join NATO (the accession took place in March, 1999)—became the main obstacle to the formal creation of the battalion, despite continued efforts of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, which favored the idea.Valentin Badrak, [http://www.zn.ua/1000/1550/26438/ Battalional counter-attack] , "Zerkalo Nedeli", March 25 - 31, 2000]

After the Rada voted down the law several times, the Ministry devised a workaround to overcome the parliamentary opposition, and in early 2000 the military announced that in the upcoming rotation of the Ukrainian servicemen of the Kosovo mission scheduled for July 2000, the ministry would deploy the Ukrainian part of battalion, claiming that since the Ukrainian participation in the mission "per se" had already been approved by the parliament, choosing the unit to replace the troops during the rotation did not need additional parliamentary approval. Fearing that such inevitable deployment would undermine its prestige, the parliament ratified the 1997 agreement on April 6, 2000. [Відомості Верховної Ради (ВВР), 2000, N 25, ст. 202] [Cite Ukrainian law|type=Ukrainian law|number=1634-III|law=1634%2D14|name=Про ратифікацію Угоди між Україною та Республікою Польща у справі створення спільної військової частини для участі в міжнароднихмиротворчих і гуманітарних операціях під егідою міжнародних організацій|date=2000-04-06]

However, on the very next day, April 7, the deputies of the Communist Party of Ukraine registered a protest claiming the ratification took place with procedural violations as many of the deputies registered to have voted in support for the law were, in fact, absent from the parliamentary session. The protest stated that proposed changes in the deployment scheme would turn the Ukrainian troops into a "cannon fodder" noting that according to the attachment specifying the unit's military equipment, most live ammunition of the battalion are to be carried by the Ukrainian troops while the Polish part would only be partially equipped with weaponry but would mostly carry equipment for the medical and communication tasks. [ [http://www.rada.gov.ua/zakon/skl3/BUL35/070400_37.htm April 7, 2000. Full record of the session] of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine] The protest, however, had no consequence and the law, signed by Leonid Kuchma, then the President of Ukraine, went into effect.

Mission

The mission of the battalion as a part of Kosovo International peacekeeping force started in July, 2000. Before deployment, the Ukrainian troops undertook special training in the Yavoriv center, the only Ukrainian boot camp that provides training for mountain warfare. The final multinational military exercise in Yavoriv was attended by the Ukrainian and Polish ministers of defense.Olga Vaulina, "Two dogs in one doghouse, to say nothing about the peace keeper.", "Zerkalo Nedeli", July 22-28, 2000. [http://www.zn.ua/1000/1550/27891/ In Russian] , [http://www.dt.ua/1000/1550/27891/ in Ukrainian] ]

The unit's service received good reviews from the force's high command and a positive regard from the Kosovo locals, both Serbs and Albanians. [Marek Sivets, "Ukraine and Poland: Summarizing the achievements", "Zerkalo Nedeli", August 23-September 1, 2001. [http://www.zn.ua/1000/1600/32037/ in Russian] , [http://www.dt.ua/1000/1600/32037/ in Ukrainian] ]

The Major tasks of the Battalion are: [ [http://www.mil.gov.ua/files/white_book/white_book_en2007.pdf Ukrainian Armed Forces 2007 White Book p.88] ]
*Participation in peace support activities in the area of responsibility.
*Execution of functions:
**patrolling;
**guard-duty on observational posts;
**convoy and escort of local inhabitants;
**protection of schools and churches

tructure

Polish Units

All turns of POLUKRBAT were based on 21st Tatra Highlanders (Mountain) Brigade.

Ukrainian Units

Ukrainian units are based in Camp Bondsteel and Camp Breza near the Brezovica village. [http://www.nato.int/kfor/chronicle/2008/chronicle_07/chronicle_07.pdf Ukrainian Contingent in Kosovo pg. 8-9] ] From 1999 to 2006, units were also stationed in Camp Golden Lion and Camp White Eagle near the village Raca.

ee also

*Lithuanian-Polish Peace Force Battalion (LITPOLBAT)

References

External links

*Roman Woronowycz, cite web |url=http://www.ukrweekly.com/Archive/2001/010101.shtml |title= Ukraine's troops play key role in peacekeeping operations |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070930031721/http://www.ukrweekly.com/Archive/2001/010101.shtml |archivedate=2007-09-30, "The Ukrainian Weekly", January 1, 2001
* [http://www.warsawvoice.pl/archiwum.phtml/1669/ KFOR POLAND: Seeing Both Sides of the Balkans] , Warsaw Voice, June 24, 2001
* [http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/archive/index.php/t-5508.html Photos]