Kyiv Creates Territorial Defense Headquarters Amid Threat of Russian Attack. Ministry of Defense Responds

The ministry said that heads of communities do not lead the formation of the Territorial Defense Forces.

Kyiv is creating a territorial defense headquarters, and the capital's territorial defense system should be deployed in the near future, according to a statement on the Official Portal of Kyiv. 

Recruitment of reservists into Kyiv's territorial defense brigade continues, and command-staff exercises are planned for January. 

"According to Deputy Head of the Kyiv City State Administration for Self-Government Powers Andriy Kryshchenko, the capital is creating a territorial defense headquarters. The capital's territorial defense system should be deployed in the near future. Command-staff exercises of the capital's territorial defense are also planned for January," the KCSA website said. 

Mayor of the capital Vitali Klitschko held a security meeting with deputy heads of the KCSA, heads of the Department of Municipal Security, the capital's territorial defense brigade, the prosecutor's office and the SBU in Kyiv, representatives of the Main Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and the city police. 

He recalled that Kyiv has more than 500 critical infrastructure facilities that require special attention. In an emergency, they will be guarded by the National Police, the military and territorial defense units. 

Vitali Klitschko
Mayor of Kyiv

The statements and threats from Russia, and the concentration of aggressor troops on our state's borders, compel us to prepare for various possible scenarios. In particular, for the worst case. We must have a clear action plan for a critical situation, with coordination and actions of all services and structural units worked out. 

It should be noted that territorial defense forces are a reserve component of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The country has 25 territorial defense brigades, which list up to 100,000 ordinary, non-public Ukrainians. However, it is unknown how many people actually regularly attend military training, assemblies and exercises. 

The commander of one of the capital's territorial defense brigades said their task is not to die in the first battle, after which the enemy will have to deal with professional soldiers. 

However, after the Kyiv authorities announced the creation of a territorial defense headquarters, the Ministry of Defense said that heads of communities do not lead the formation of the Territorial Defense Forces. 

"The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine draws the attention of local self-government bodies to the need to act within their competence and to avoid uncoordinated steps and statements that contradict the provisions of the Law of Ukraine 'On the Foundations of National Resistance', which may mislead citizens and harm the defense interests of the state," the ministry said in a statement. 

The ministry noted that any structures created by officials of local self-government bodies are not part of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Local state administrations take part in, but do not independently create, territorial defense headquarters. 

Oleksii Reznikov
Minister of Defense of Ukraine

I appeal to all heads of local self-government bodies and other elected officials. I urge you to refrain from actions and statements that politicize the organization of territorial defense. <...> There is no place here for PR and grandstanding. We must all work together for the interests of Ukraine, each within their own powers. Strengthen defense capability rather than harm it by unbalancing the process. There is a clear chain of command in the Territorial Defense Forces. It is formed by the military. Community heads do not lead the formation of the Territorial Defense Forces and must act within their competencies. 

The ministry noted that the Law 'On the Foundations of National Resistance' stipulates that the organization and performance of territorial defense tasks belong to the Territorial Defense Forces as an integral part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, while direct command of territorial defense is exercised by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces through the Commander of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. 

Shortly after the approval of by-laws, the Ministry of Defense will organize training for local leaders to prevent errors and unauthorized actions already occurring in the field. The ministry will strictly require compliance with legislation.