Ukrainian National Guard celebrates 9th anniversary

Lieutenant General Yuriy Lebid, Commander of the National Guard, congratulated the soldiers on the occasion.

"We have gone through a lot and achieved a lot. For 9 years we have been doing and will continue to do everything to make Ukrainian citizens feel safe. We have been recruiting volunteers, exchanging experience with NATO and EU military formations, ensuring law and order, performing tasks in natural disaster areas, countering terrorist threats, and protecting strategically important facilities," the National Guard commander said.

Photo: Reuters

"From the first minute of the full-scale invasion, the Guards were among the first to meet the enemy in different directions of the invasion and became the force that complemented the core of Ukraine's defense," he added.

Now, Lebid emphasized, the National Guard is forming "offensive guard brigades, which, after training, rearmament and coordination, will liberate our lands together with other units of the Defense Forces."

General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, also congratulated the National Guard. 

"Honor, courage, and law are the concepts that unite all National Guardsmen. You are responsible not only for law and order and security. Every day on the battlefield, you perform feats of heroism, demonstrate that loyalty to the oath and the Ukrainian people is not just empty words. You show great resilience and courage. At the cost of your own lives, you are fighting for freedom for every Ukrainian. You have been fighting heroically with the Armed Forces of Ukraine since the first days of Russian aggression in the most difficult areas of the frontline. Shoulder to shoulder. It is thanks to our unity and devotion to the Motherland that we are invincible," Zaluzhnyi said.

The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy joined the congratulations.

"The National Guard of Ukraine has become one of the key elements of the general defense system of our country, which prevents the enemy from conquering Ukraine.

From the first minutes of February 24 and throughout the years of the war in Donbas, the National Guardsmen have shown true Ukrainian strength and are doing everything to ensure that our state withstands," the President said.

"Thank you for your service and steel character!" Zelenskyy said in his greeting.