Before being named after Heroes of Ukrainian Insurgent Army, AFU Special Operations Center had been fighting for 14 years and had participated in liberation of Sloviansk and Donetsk Airport

The Armed Forces of Ukraine’s “North” Special Operations Center, which was recently awarded the honorary designation “Named After the Heroes of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA),” has a rich combat history dating back to the early days of the russian aggression in 2014. This is evidenced by a briefing on the unit’s combat history provided by the Office of the President of Ukraine in response to a request from the Ukrainian News agency.

Although some information regarding the center’s activities is classified, it is known that the unit was formed on May 1, 2013, as the first—and at that time, the only—military unit subordinate to the Special Operations Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. As early as April 2014, the Center’s personnel took direct part in the Anti-Terrorist Operation in the Donetsk and Luhansk Regions. Among its key achievements was its participation in the liberation of the Donetsk Airport and the city of Sloviansk. In March 2015, the Center was awarded the Battle Flag—an honorary distinction from the President of Ukraine.

After the start of the full-scale invasion, the unit continued to carry out combat and special missions in various operational areas. In 2025, the Center’s personnel took part in offensive operations and special actions aimed at liberating territories occupied by russia.

The Ukrainian News agency also has an excerpt from the minutes of the general meeting of the personnel of the “North” Separate Special Operations Center, according to which the decision to petition for the honorary designation “in the name of the Heroes of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA)” was initiated by the Center’s commander and adopted unanimously. The reasons and rationale for the initiative are not specified in the minutes. 

Excerpt from the minutes of the general meeting of the personnel of the “North” Separate Special Operations Center. Screenshot: the Ukrainian News agency

As previously reported, when naming the Ukrainian Armed Forces' Center in honor of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), the Ministry of Defense took environmental risks into account but ignored diplomatic ones. As a result, the initiative sparked a diplomatic scandal with Poland.

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