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| Special Group "Alpha" | |
|---|---|
| Spetshrupa "A" | |
 The badge of SBU Alfa Group | |
| Active | 3 March 1990–present |
| Country |  Soviet Union (1990–1991) Ukraine (1991–present) |
| Allegiance |  Security Service of Ukraine |
| Branch | Spetsnaz of theKGB (1990–1991) Spetsnaz of theSBU (1991–present) |
| Type | Spetsnaz |
| Size | Classified |
| Garrison/HQ | Kyiv |
| Nicknames | Alpha Group, Alpha (Alfa) |
| Engagements | Revolution of Dignity |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Yevhenii Khmara[2] |
TheSpecial Group "Alpha" (Ukrainian:ЦСО "А" СБУ) is the only tier onespetsnaz unit of theSecurity Service of Ukraine (SBU); and a successor of theSoviet Union'sAlpha Group.[3] Group Alpha is one of the top divisions of thespecial forces of Ukraine.
The unit's missions primarily involve anti-irregular military, black operations, counterterrorism, direct action, executive protection, high-value targets capture or elimination, hostage rescue, irregular warfare, long-range penetration, special operations that are high risk and very sensitive, and special reconnaissance.
On 28 July 1974, Alpha Group was created on the orders of theKGB Chairman,Yuri Andropov, in the aftermath of the1972 Munich massacre. It might have been established as a response toWest Germany's creation ofGrenzschutzgruppe 9 (orGSG 9).[3] By attaching a special-purpose unit to the office of theFirst Chief Directorate inMoscow (later the Seventh Directorate[4]), it was hoped that the Soviet Union's defensive capacity against terrorist attacks would increase significantly. At the time, other, more offensive special forces of the KGB included the groups Zenit and Kaskad/Omega. Another important mission for Alpha was to provide security for the Soviet leadership against enemy special forces in times of crisis or war.[5]
Later, territorial Alpha units were established across theSoviet Union. An Alpha detachment in Ukraine was created on March 3, 1990, when the order was given to the Chief of the 7th Directorate of the KGB to establish 10th group (Kyiv) Group 'A' Services EIR 7th Directorate of the KGB. The selection process was rigorous. Of the initial 120 KGB candidates, only 15 passed the rigorous selection course to establish the first detachment under the leadership of commanderPeter Feliksovich Zakrevskii.[6]
TheKyiv territorial unit of Group "A" was converted into Service "C" of theSecurity Service of Ukraine (SBU) in 1992.[6] Nevertheless, it has continued to be informally called "Alpha", until June 23, 1994, when by the decree of thePresident of Ukraine on the basis of service "C" of the SBU was created Directorate "A" (Alpha). At this point in the SBU's groups "A" consists of five offices and regional offices based in each regional center ofUkraine.
In April 2014, in the aftermath of theRevolution of Dignity, when Ukraine's Alpha snipers were alleged to shoot at the protesters,[7][8] it was purged and reorganised,[9] and soon used by the new government against thepro-Russian separatist forces in thewar in Donbas. Late April 2014 three officers were captured by members of theDonbas People's Militia armed group led byIgor Girkin[a] in the town ofHorlivka, after which they were beaten up and shown on Russian television;[10] the SBU spokeswoman said the separatists acted on a tip from infiltrators inside the agency.[11]
The SBU Alfa defectorAlexander Khodakovsky, a former Alfa commander forDonetsk Oblast who has deserted from Ukrainian service along with several of his men following the revolution, became the commander of the rebelVostok Battalion and later was given the post of security minister of the separatistDonetsk People's Republic.[12]
During the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Alpha group (according to Ukrainian sources) ambushed and wiped out a convoy in northernKyiv, aroundHostomel, composed ofChechenparamilitary (the "Kadyrovtsy") heading to the city.[13] The Alpha Group was present in Kharkiv, defending the city at theBattle of Kharkiv. During the2022 Kharkiv counteroffensive, the Alpha Group re-captured several settlements such asKupiansk.[1]
The Alpha Group conducted operations to capturefifth-columnists, Russian sympathizers, spies and infiltrators.[14]
From its inception in 1994 to 2010, members of the special unit carried out more than 7,000 operations, from weapons seizure to anti narcotics operations, to apprehension of organized gang members, with no casualties sustained.[15]
The unit suffered its first casualty in June 2014, fighting againstRussian separatists and possibly,Russian special forces, in thewar in Donbas. As of 2018, ten SBU Alpha operators lost their lives in the conflict.[16]
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The SBU posted images on Telegram of a group of Ukrainian soldiers with the caption: "Specialists of the SBU's special operations center 'A' in Kupyansk, which was and always will be Ukrainian!"
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{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) by Jonathan Littell.
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