The Defence Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine (DIU) plays a key role in ensuring the country's defense capability. Thanks to a wide range of capabilities, the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine performs a number of critically important tasks, which include gathering intelligence, conducting special operations, analyzing the military-political situation, and others.
These actions allow Ukraine to predict enemy actions and respond effectively to threats.
The Russo-Ukrainian war, which has been going on for more than a year, is a vivid example of how decisive a role highly effective intelligence plays in confronting an aggressor.
DIU of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has many significant achievements. One of the key successful strategies is the destruction by fire of important strategic military facilities and energy infrastructure on the enemy's territory. Such actions not only demonstrate the high efficiency and professionalism of Ukrainian military intelligence, but also significantly undermine the potential of the enemy.
In addition to known successes, there are many hidden victories of the Defence Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine (DIU), which took place both in the immediate vicinity of the border and at a great distance from the front line. These secret operations, the details of which remain unknown to the general public until the end of the war, testify to a deep strategic approach and the ability of Ukrainian intelligence to operate effectively in a variety of conditions.
Analyzing the effectiveness of these operations compared to traditional trench warfare, we can draw a conclusion about a strategic change in the direction of activity of the Ukrainian army. This change in strategy is aimed at maximally using the advantages of the Ukrainian side and creating conditions for victory over the occupiers.
Some of the successful operations carried out by the DIU have already become known to the general public. These operations caused a wide resonance and proved the high level of skill and dedication of Ukrainian intelligence officers. Carrying out difficult tasks behind enemy lines, they demonstrate invincibility of spirit and readiness to fight for the freedom and independence of Ukraine.
Defense of Gostomel airfield
At the beginning of the full-scale war, the 10th detachment of the DIU met the enemy at the airport in Gostomel, where they did not allow the creation of a bridgehead for the capture of Kyiv. In Gostomel, the Russians wanted to land an amphibious assault and capture the "Antonov" airfield. Its occupiers planned to use it for the rapid transfer of equipment and manpower by air in order to occupy Kyiv in the future. Then, according to the GUR, the Russian Federation lost about 200 elite specialists in the capture of airports in the battles for the Gostomel airport.
Units of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine participated in the assault and clearing of occupied settlements, active battles for the Kyiv region, carried out sabotage, reconnaissance and corrective actions.
GUR raids on Azovstal
In March 2022 The DIU participated in helicopter raids on Azovstal, there were a total of 7 flights, in which 16 Mi-8 helicopters of the army aviation were involved, the evacuation of 64 wounded and the landing of reinforcements of 72 volunteers and 30 tons of cargo were carried out.
The tape "Airborne raid on Azovstal. Sky" from Artem Shevchenko's documentary trilogy "Military intelligence of Ukraine: on the sea, in the sky, on the ground" reveals the unknown details of the unique airborne special operation of the DIU in Mariupol surrounded by the enemy. 7 sorties to the city of Mary: each one like the last.
Kharkiv counteroffensive
In the Kharkiv counteroffensive, a major role was played by the "Kraken" unit of the DIU, which in the period from March to the end of September 2022 participated in the liberation of about 25 settlements in Kharkiv Oblast, and one in Luhansk Oblast, in January 2023 the regiment took part in the battles for Soledar, and in March 2023 — for Bakhmut.
The release of Zmiyny
July 7, 2022 the soldiers of the DIU, together with the 73rd MCSO, 801st OPPPZ and engineers of the 59th brigade, landed with the help of boats on the Zmiiny island and installed the state flag on it.
You can learn more from Artem Shevchenko's documentary series "Military intelligence of Ukraine: on the sea, in the sky, on the ground" dedicated to the deoccupation of Zmiiny Island, strategically important for security in the Black Sea
Release of hostages in Kherson region
In July 2022 an operation was carried out to free five hostages in the Kherson region, then the soldiers of the DIU penetrated into the rear of the enemy, freed the hostages and returned back.
Among the freed hostages are a serviceman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, a former police officer and three civilians. One of them had a serious combat wound.
In the video footage, you can watch how the fighters prepare for the operation, advance through the plantation and eliminate several opponents. An attack was made on a secret holding place where the Russians were holding our people captive and hostage. The occupants were neutralized. Our people are freed. Then they check documents, take away evidence and successfully retreat from the captured territory.
Forcing the Dnipro
On the night of January 23-24, 2023 the soldiers of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine conducted a reconnaissance raid with the crossing of the Dnipro River in the area of Novaya Kakhovka. With the help of local partisans and technical means, the fighters discovered the advanced control post. Scouts destroyed the house in which the enemy command post was located with grenade launcher shots.
Perceiving the landing as an attempt to break through the defense line, the Russian occupiers immediately mobilized combat reserves: a unit of special operations forces, aviation and armored vehicles. During the battle, 12 occupants, an 82A armored personnel carrier were destroyed and a prisoner was captured. Having completed the task, the group returned to the right bank of the Dnieper.
GUR operations abroad
In addition to such "high-profile" operations of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine constantly performs other, but no less important, reconnaissance, sabotage and combat tasks, about which there is no information in the mass media. Also, even during the war, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine continues to help Ukrainian citizens abroad.
So, March 17, 2023 The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine announced the release of 8 citizens of Ukraine, six of whom are children, from Syrian captivity, and on April 26 announced the evacuation of 138 people, 87 of whom are citizens of Ukraine, from the capital of Sudan.
For assistance in carrying out the operation and helping Ukrainians in Syria, the DIU expressed their gratitude to the citizen of Ukraine, Shaker Farkhan Ali.
Even in the conditions of Russia's aggressive war, Ukraine does not forget about its citizens in trouble and will come to help anywhere on the globe.
Liberation of prisoners
The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine is actively involved in negotiation processes and ensuring the exchange of prisoners of war.
In general, from the moment of the full-scale invasion of Russia into Ukraine, with the assistance of the DIU, it was possible to free 3,135 defenders of Ukraine from Russian captivity.
Special operation "Tinytsia"
August 9, 2023 the representatives of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine successfully conducted the "Synytsia" operation regarding the flight of the Russian military transport helicopter Mi-8AMTSh to the territory of Ukraine.
"This is a truly critical and extremely complex operation, which is of fundamental importance to the security and defense forces, and will have long-term consequences for the aggressor state, for its morale and psychological state, as well as for its security and defense sector. After all, as a result of the operation, it was possible to obtain extremely important information about aviation and many other details that will help us protect our skies and destroy the enemy."
Andriy Yusov
Representative of DIU
As Yusov noted, this operation required complex and comprehensive work, carried out jointly with the National Police and the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which took several months. According to him, the Ukrainian special services thoroughly checked the 28-year-old Russian pilot Maksym Kuzminov from the 319th separate helicopter regiment of the Russian Army Aviation, military unit 13984, who flew the Russian Mi-8 combat helicopter with the entire crew to Ukraine. The point of permanent deployment of the regiment is located in the Primorsky Krai of the Russian Federation.
The unique history of the special operation of military intelligence "Synitsa" and the story of the eight downed Russian pilots can be viewed in the film "Downed Russian pilots", which is part of the series "Military Intelligence of Ukraine", created by Artem Shevchenko together with the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine .
Destruction of Su-34 in Chelyabinsk
On the night of January 4, 2024 in Chelyabinsk, Russia, a Su-34 tactical bomber (cost - 50 million dollars) burned down at the Shagol airfield. It was a special operation of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine. Chelyabinsk is more than 2,000 km from the front line.
The combat aircraft belonged to the aviation regiment of the 21st mixed aviation division of the Russian Air Force. At that time, DIU added that the reasons for the plane's ignition were being clarified.
Let's agree on the version that some kind people decided to congratulate Budanov on his birthday in this way.
Andriy Yusov
Representative of DIU
Also, drones of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine systematically attack fuel and energy facilities on the territory of Russia, as a result of which production plants and fuel storage tanks are destroyed.
Cyber operations by the DIU
Also, specialists of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine systematically successfully conduct cyber operations against the Russian occupiers. Yes, only at the beginning of 2024, at least three large-scale cyber attacks were carried out, including:
January 27, 2024 cyber specialists of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine destroyed the entire IT infrastructure of the company "IPL Consulting", which helped in the implementation of information systems in Russian industry, and also provided services to institutions engaged in design, production of automobile and aviation components, heavy engineering, production of equipment and devices, in particular in the interests of the defense and industrial complex of the Russian Federation.
The specified company presented itself as one of the most modern Russian enterprises, which provided assistance in the implementation of information systems to institutions engaged in design, production of automotive and aviation components, heavy engineering, production of equipment and devices, in particular in the interests of the Russian defense-industrial complex. In the conditions of ongoing sanctions pressure against Russia, the damage caused to the enemy is extremely painful. In addition, dozens of companies of the Russian Federation that work for the "defense" of the aggressor state will be affected, the GUR said.
January 30, 2024 as a result of a cyber attack by the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, the server of the Ministry of Defense of the aggressor state, which was used for special communication, "went down". As a result of the cyber attack, the exchange of information between the units of the Russian Armed Forces deployed in Moscow was stopped. At the same time, it should be noted that the software on the attacked server was certified by the FSB of the Russian Federation as meeting state information protection standards.
February 8, 2024 as a result of a cyberattack by the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, the operation of the program that the Russians used for the so-called "flashing" and control of drones of the "DJI" brand was disrupted. The program allowed drone operators to configure control panels, capture video, transmit a picture to the command post, and control the drone directly from the computer. Also, through web servers, the program ensured the functioning of the "own-foreign" system, which determined whether the drone belonged to the Russian Armed Forces.
Separately, it should be noted that thanks to effective interaction with patriotic representatives of civil society and the media community, at the beginning of January 2024, the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine received more than 100 gigabytes of secret data from the Russian enterprise "Special Technological Center", the value of which is more than 1.5 billion US dollars and contains documentation for 194 nomenclature units of weapons and military equipment.
Its facilities produce military equipment and machinery used by the Russian army in the war against Ukraine. In particular, the "Special Technology Center" manufactures UAV "Orlan" of various modifications, as well as a whole range of electronic warfare and intelligence equipment and other military products.
Unknown opponents of the Putin regime
In January 2024 in three regions of Russia, representatives of the resistance movement burned several relay boxes on the railway and other objects and paralyzed the movement of trains.
"Unknown opponents of the Putin regime once again burned down several relay boxes on the railway and other objects used for the logistics of the occupying terrorist forces. The events took place in the districts of the cities of Saratov, Yaroslavl and Dzerzhinsk of the Nizhny Novgorod region," the DIU said in a statement.
As a result, traffic on these railway sections of the central part of Russia was paralyzed.
We will continue to do so as long as the Kremlin continues its criminal war against Ukraine!
"On January 14, 2024, a powerful explosion rang out on Gogol Street in temporarily occupied Melitopol. As a result of a special measure carried out by the forces of the Ukrainian resistance, the UAZ Patriot car of the Russian invaders was blown up, four occupants were injured.
According to the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, there were four occupants in the car. "However, according to preliminary information, not everyone needed doctors. The exact number of irreparable and sanitary losses of the enemy is being specified," the department said.
Radio-electronic reconnaissance by the DIU
An important component in the performance of intelligence tasks is the ability of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine to carry out radio-electronic intelligence tasks (hereinafter referred to as EPR).
Today, there are three regional radio-electronic intelligence centers, as well as the radio-electronic intelligence of the Air Force and the Navy of Ukraine, under the command of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine.
The centers are designed to conduct radio-electronic intelligence of a strategic level. Obtaining intelligence information about the enemy by intercepting and analyzing the radiation of his radio-electronic means with the use of special technical devices allows specialists of the GUR of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine to monitor the activities of enemy units and units in real time, as well as to identify the places of their deployment and provides the possibility of their accurate fire damage.
Unmanned surface vehicles
The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine uses unmanned surface vehicles for attacks on Russian ships and coastal structures. In particular, "Magura" belongs to such unmanned aerial vehicles.
So, February 14, 2024 Ukrainian forces destroyed the Russian large amphibious assault ship "Cesar Kunikov" in the Black Sea near Alupka in the annexed Crimea.
"On February 14, 2024, the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, in cooperation with all components of the Security and Defense Forces of Ukraine, destroyed the large landing ship "Cesar Kunikov" of the Black Sea Fleet of the aggressor state of Russia... The enemy ship was attacked by "Magura V5" sea attack drones near the shores of the temporarily occupied Crimea near the city of Alupka," the message reads.
Defense of Avdiivka
During the week, special officers of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine as part of the Security and Defense Forces defended the last road from Avdiyivka, inflicting colossal losses on the constantly advancing assault units of the Russians.
Within the framework of the order on the coordinated withdrawal of the main forces, the special forces of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine together with the soldiers of the SSO, the 3rd separate assault brigade, the 225th separate assault battalion, and the 110th separate mechanized brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine secured the evacuation corridor.
The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine works
The events of the Russian-Ukrainian war clearly demonstrated the role played by the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine in ensuring the national interests of our state. She does not advertise her achievements, and our descendants will be able to learn about all her achievements and results of activity in decades from those documents that will become available after the expiration of the statute of limitations and the lifting of the seal of secrecy.
In the conditions of an asymmetric war with the enemy, which is significantly greater in number and quantity of weapons and military equipment, military intelligence performs many additional tasks on which success on the battlefield depends.
In Ukraine, as in all democratic countries, there is a system of parliamentary control over intelligence activities, so intelligence operates within the limits of national legislation and international law, which certainly limits its capabilities.
A number of operations of the GUR of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, according to the estimates of the world's leading military analysts, were implemented by special intelligence units at the limit of physical and real capabilities.
