Territorial Defense Forces TrO - End Strength

Each military commissariat forms a guard company, and regional military commissariats in addition form a territorial defense battalion (BTRO, 27 battalions ), each district (city) military commissariat in the area of its responsibility is formed from 2 to 5 detachments territorial defense, depending on the tasks assigned (ZgO, 490 + 111 (districts in cities), 1202 detachments, at least, does not take into account the occupied territories). Approximate staff would thus be 423,428 (battalions: 13,284, security companies: 75,988, defense units: 334,165) people.

The 400,000 Ukrainian citizens with military experience had fought against the Russian aggressor since 2014 had the opportunity to become reservists and be assigned to military units and territorial defense units in the region where they live. Their experience is extremely important and can be used to defend Ukraine. In fact, it seems that only about a quarter of these combat experienced veterans rallied to the Territorial Defense Force.

Before the Russian invasion of February 2022, the Armed Forces Troop Forces was forming 25 brigades (one region - one brigade), which will unite more than 150 battalions (one battalion per district). The permanent number of TrO Troops in peacetime will be 10,000 servicemen. According to the staff of the special period, the units of the TrO Forces will number more than 130,000 people, for which a corresponding reserve will be formed.

People without military experience will also be able to defend their homeland, as they will be able to become fighters of volunteer units of territorial communities after passing medical, professional and psychological selection and signing a contract of a volunteer of territorial defense.

Reserve contractors must hold a 10-day training meeting every 2-3 years. Voluntary training on weekends (average 3-4 days per month) - in total it is about 40 days a year, mostly on weekends and voluntarily. A reservist cannot be involved in uniforms, work, etc. - only in the preparation and performance of service tasks. In addition, the contract has a section 6 - "Other terms of the Contract", which can prescribe all additional agreements between the reservist and the commander. The contract with officers and sergeants is for 5 years, with soldiers - for 3 years.

Approximately 100,000 people joined the territorial defence units in the last days of February 2022 in response to Russia’s attack. On February 26, 2022, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhny reported that 37,000 reservists had joined the territorial defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. By late April 2022 the Defense Forces were an absolute phenomenon of this full-scale war, as more than 100,000 people were recruited in a few days. In addition, more than 700 volunteer formations of territorial communities had been organized.

On February 11, 2022 , the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilov, at a briefing after the meeting of the National Security and Defense Council in Kharkiv, stated that the number of members of the Territorial Defense (TRO) in Ukraine should be two million. "The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces has set a goal that the number of members of the territorial defense should reach 2 million citizens of our country, who will be ready to defend Ukraine if necessary," - said O. Danilov.

On 24 February 2022, Defense Minister Aleksey Reznikov called on everyone who is ready and able to hold a weapon to join the ranks of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He noted that Ukraine is moving into full defense mode. On Friday, February 25, Commander of the Territorial Defense Forces Yury Galushkin called for joining the Territorial Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The admission procedure was simplified as much as possible - to join the ranks of the terrorist defense, you only need to have a passport and an identification code. He noted that now everyone is needed. The territorial defense forces of Kiev have already distributed 18,000 machine guns and the corresponding ammunition for them. Since February 24, in the capital and not only, the number of people wishing to join the Troop Forces and defend their native cities, the country from Russian invaders continues to grow, Defense Minister Alexei Reznikov said.

A number of Ukrainians with experience in combat operations under martial law were released from custody, all sanctions were lifted from them, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said in his address 28 February 2022. “A difficult decision was made from a moral point of view - under martial law, participants in hostilities, Ukrainians with real combat experience will be released from custody and will be able to atone for their guilt, all sanctions are lifted," he said.

On 21 April 2022, the commander of the territorial defense forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, General Yuriy Galushkin, said that the Ukrainian authorities are calling on volunteers who have joined the territorial defense units to hand over their weapons. Armaments should be given for storage to the inhabitants of those regions where hostilities are no longer taking place.

In the month and a half since its inception, the command and organizational structure of the Troop Forces has been deployed - more than 170 military units. This allowed more than 100,000 people to join the terrorist defense during the week during the full-scale Russian invasion. This is more than the number of armies of the lion's share of European countries. By mid-May 2022, the Troop Forces were 32 brigades, 25 of which in full or part of the units took a direct part in hostilities.

Requirements for territorials are low. Military experience or gender does not matter. Age restrictions - from 18 to sixty years. Classes - in free time. Reserve officers with military service experience, as well as conscripts and reservists without military service experience who will be able to hold the ranks of sergeants, sergeants and soldiers, are also invited to serve in the Troop units. Before concluding a contract for service in the SRW reserve, candidates must undergo a medical examination, and persons over 40 years of age must undergo a military medical commission. After all, the TrO reserve will undergo intensive training.

In Ukraine, 49% of men are ready to take part in territorial defense. Among women, only 18%. Residents of the western and central oblasts are relatively more willing to join the territorial defense. In general, 45% of Ukrainians support the creation of territorial defense troops and almost a third (30%) are against it. One in four (25%) cannot be determined. This is evidenced by the results of a sociological study "Awareness and willingness of citizens to participate in territorial defense." It was held from November 28 to December 10, 2021 by the Ukrainian Institute of the Future together with New Image Marketing Group.

According to a poll conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology on December 3-11, half of Ukrainians are ready to resist Russian intervention . Every third person is ready to take up arms.