Kherson Rifle Battalion (Ukraine)

Kherson Rifle Battalion
Ukrainian: Херсонська поліцейська рота
Kherson Rifle Battalion Insignia
Active	2014–present
Country	Ukraine
Allegiance	Ministry of Internal Affairs
Branch	Special Tasks Patrol Police
Type	Police tactical unit
Garrison/HQ	Kherson
Engagements	Russo-Ukrainian War War in Donbass Battle of Ilovaisk 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine Southern Ukraine campaign Battle of Kherson 2022 Kherson counteroffensive Liberation of Kherson Kherson strikes (2022–present)
Commanders
Notable commanders	Storcheus Ruslan Oleksandrovych   †
Insignia
Former Insignia
Former Insignia

The Kherson Rifle Battalion ^[1] is a Rifle Battalion of the Special Tasks Patrol Police subordinated to Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine. The company is based in Kherson. It was established in 2014 in the wake of the War in Donbass and has, since then seen regular combat on the frontlines.

History

It was established in May 2014 in Kherson as a battalion was composed of 300 personnel in 6 platoons of 50 personnel each and Oleksandr Gubarev was appointed as its commander. ^[2] On 19 August 2014, 50 soldiers of the battalion went to the ATO zone. ^[3] On the morning of 25 August 2014, Vyacheslav Vlasenko, the commander of Donbas Battalion, summoned the commanders of Myrotvorets and Kherson battalions to a meeting. The vehicle of Kherson battalion commander, Storcheus Ruslan Oleksandrovych was ambushed on the way resulting in his death ^{[4] [5] [6] [7]} and the death of his driver, Oleg Anatoliyovych Peshkov. ^[8] The Battalion, now without a commander, temporarily came under the command of Semen Semenchenko. ^[9] On 26 August 2014, a soldier of the Battalion (Maksym Petrovych Zhekov) was killed as a result of artillery shelling by separatists at the battalion's positions at Ilovaisk school. ^[10] On 29 August 2014, during the Battle of Ilovaisk and the escape from the encirclement, six soldiers of the Battalion (Ruslan Serhiyovych Salivonchyk, ^[11] Pavlo Valeriyovych Mazur, ^[12] Kovalev Vladyslav Viktorovych, ^[13] Sharygin Artem Vitaliyovych, ^[14] Hrebinsky Oleg Vilyamovich ^[15] and Oleg Pavlovich Vovchenko ^[16] ) were killed in action and several more were wounded. On 1 September 2014, a part of the battalion returned followed by more personnel, some more personnel of the Battalion were also deployed to partake in the Battle of Pisky. ^[17] In 2020, it was reformed into a company. ^[18]

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the unit did not receive an official order to partake in the Battle of Kherson, the company's command retreated from the city leaving its personnel to fight Russian forces by themselves. ^{[19] [18]} On 19 September 2023, a soldier of the company (Andriy Tarchynskyi) was killed as a result of artillery shelling on Kherson which also wounded two civilians. ^[20] In 2024, it was reformed into a Battalion with the honorary name "Striletski". ^[21]

References

1. Kherson Rifle Battalion
2. "На Херсонщині обрали командира батальйону патрульної служби особливого призначення "Херсон"". Archived from the original on 5 September 2014. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
3. В зону АТО отправился батальон «Херсон» Archived 26 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine
4. "Під Іловайськом загинув командир батальйону "Херсон" – МВС". 5 канал (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2017-08-24.
5. Под Иловайском погиб командир батальона МВД «Херсон» Руслан Сторчеус. ФОТО Archived 26 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine
6. Под Иловайском погибли Руслан Сторчеус и Олег Пешков из батальона «Херсон» Archived 26 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine
7. Сторчеус Руслан Олександрович
8. Пешков Олег Анатолійович Archived 17 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine
9. Семенченко взяв під своє крило осиротілий батальйон «Херсон» // «Укрінформ», 26 серпня 2014
10. Жеков Максим Петрович Archived 15 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine
11. Салівончик Руслан Сергійович Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine
12. Мазур Павло Валерійович Archived 16 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine
13. Ковальов Владислав Вікторович Archived 15 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine
14. Шаригін Артем Віталійович Archived 26 December 2016 at the Wayback Machine
15. Гребінський Олег Вільямович Archived 15 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine
16. Вовченко Олег Павлович Archived 19 May 2017 at the Wayback Machine
17. "Херсон встретил Героев". Archived from the original on 28 December 2014. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
18. Kherson Company
19. Битва за Херсон. Історія останніх захисників міста
20. У Нацполіції повідомили, що під час обстрілу Херсона 19 вересня загинув старший сержант поліції Андрій Тарчинський.
21. На Херсонщині у складі обласної поліції створили батальйон “Стрілецький”