Main Directorate of Intelligence (Ukraine)

The Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine (Ukrainian: Головне управління розвідки Міністерства оборони України, ГУР МОУ, romanized: Holovne upravlinnia rozvidky Ministerstva oborony Ukrainy, GUR / HUR MO), also known in English as the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU), is the military intelligence service of the Ukrainian government. It is an agency of the Ministry of Defence, not the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Unlike the intelligence agencies of many countries, the HUR is not restricted to intelligence-gathering but also carries out military operations. History The agency was established from the existing intelligence assets of the Kyiv, Odesa and Carpathian military districts of the Soviet Armed Forces and its Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU), following the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the independence of Ukraine. The Intelligence Directorate of the General Headquarters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was established in February 1992. Based on a presidential decree issued on September 7, 1992, the Strategic Military Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence was created. The existence of two separate agencies with similar responsibilities, and reporting to different authorities, hampered the development of an effective military intelligence system. On July 6, 1993, the Decree of the President of Ukraine ordered the merging of the two agencies to form the Main Military Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence. It was renamed the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, or Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) for short, on April 4, 1994. On March 22, 2001, the Ukrainian parliament (Rada) ratified the Law of Ukraine "On Intelligence Agencies of Ukraine". The HUR was given the status of special government authority. On August 18, 2021, HUR special forces moved on Il-76MDs from the 25th Transport Aviation Brigade of the Ukrainian Air Force and flew to Kabul with the mission of evacuating citizens of Ukraine and foreigners during the 2021 Kabul airlift. In total, the aircraft of the brigade made six flights and transported more than 700 citizens of different countries. Special forces went to Kabul three times a day to find and bring citizens who were to be evacuated to the Kabul airport. In the February of 2022, the ongoing conflict of Ukraine escalated to a full-scale war, leading to Russia's invasion on the 24th of the month. The DIU played an indirect role in events surrounding this invasion by issuing pre-invasion warnings, strengthening defence by coordinating western allies, carrying out covert missions, and influencing the leadership of Ukraine to respond decisively. The DIU prevented the fall of the Ukrainian cities by providing defence over Kyiv and launching counter attacks in Kharkiv On September 20, 2023, CNN reported that Ukrainian special forces were likely behind multiple attacks on Wagner-backed Rapid Support Forces (RSF) forces in Sudan, using DJI Mavic 3 and first-person view (FPV) drones. In May 2023, HUR Chief Kyrylo Budanov vowed to "destroy Russian war criminals anywhere in the world, wherever they are." In March 2024, reports confirmed that HUR operators from the "Timur" unit were actively fighting Wagner and RSF in Sudan. On January 30, 2024, the DIU received a Snatch Land Rover SUV for its personnel from volunteers of the British-Ukrainian society "Driving Ukraine". On 2 May 2025, a Ukrainian HUR MAGURA V5 naval drone shot down a Russian Su-30 using a R-73 missile, 50 km west of Novorossiysk. The crew of two ended up in the Black Sea, where a civilian ship later recovered them. HUR claimed it was the first time a maritime drone shot down an aircraft. In April 2026, HUR announced that it had performed two space-launch capability tests during the period under Budanov's leadership, with the first test reaching an altitude of 100 km, and the second launch reaching 204 km. In June 2026 Forbes reported that following Russia's 2014 invasion began close cooperation with the Central Intelligence Agency, which helped reform the institution weakened by corruption, Russian infiltration and its Soviet-era legacy. The cooperation is reported to be ongoing as of mid-2026, with Ukraine providing its US counterpart with insights into Russia. Emblem In 2016, the HUR emblem was changed to an illustration of an owl plunging a sword into Russia. The owl has been said to be a tongue-in-cheek reference to the emblem of the Spetsnaz special forces of the Russian GRU, which depicts a bat - a natural prey of the owl. In addition, the motto "The wise will rule over the stars" (Latin: Sapiens Dominabitur Astris) ostensibly alludes to the GRU's motto "Only the stars are above us" (Russian: Выше нас только звeзды, romanized: Vyshe nas tolko zvyezdy). The new emblem was met with outrage from Russian journalists and politicians, including Dmitry Rogozin, and with some calling it a provocation. Spheres of activity The Main Directorate of Intelligence conducts its activity in the military, political, technical, economic, signals, informational and environmental spheres. The major missions of the directorate are: Extracting, analyzing, processing and disseminating information in accordance with the law "On Intelligence" Conducting measures aimed at promoting the realization of the national interests of Ukraine Identifying external threats to the national security of Ukraine, and conducting measures against such threats Participating in the fight against terrorism and other criminal activities that pose a threat to the national security of Ukraine Cooperating with foreign intelligence bodies Carrying out other activities defined by law to ensure the national security of Ukraine Organization The HUR has an executive office and several agency-wide functions, and five major directorates and departments consisting of the following: Directorates: Strategic Intelligence Directorate Armed Forces General Staff Intelligence Support Directorate Information Support Directorate Personnel Policy Directorate Logistic Directorate Departments: Internal Security Department Planning Department Automation and Communication Department Economic and Finance Department Information and state secret protection Department Combat formations Before the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the only field reconnaissance unit of the HUR was a special unit subordinated to the Directorate's 4th Special Intelligence Service (4-та Служба спеціальної розвідки): 10th Separate Special Purpose Unit (10-й окремий загін спеціального призначення, MUN A2245), based in Rybalskyi Peninsula, Kyiv Battalion HHC 3 operational companies – 1st – 3rd Special Purpose Company (1 – 3 сотня спеціального призначення) As of 2024, the units subordinate to the HUR include: Reconnaissance units subordinated to Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU): 23rd Reconnaissance Battalion 49th Reconnaissance Training Center 52nd Reconnaissance Battalion 53rd Reconnaissance Battalion 54th Reconnaissance Battalion 74th Reconnaissance Battalion 120th Reconnaissance Regiment 129th Reconnaissance Battalion 130th Reconnaissance Battalion 131st Reconnaissance Battalion 132nd Air Assault Reconnaissance Battalion 140th Marine Reconnaissance Battalion 143rd Reconnaissance Battalion 150th Reconnaissance Strike Battalion 151st Reconnaissance Strike Battalion 152nd Reconnaissance Battalion Spetsnaz units under AFU operational control: Shaman Battalion Special Purpose Unit "Kraken" Artan Unit Revanche Tactical Group Tymur Special Unit 2nd Special Operations Detachment 6th Special Operations Detachment Bratstvo Battalion NOBODY Battalion Stuhna Battalion Chimera Unit Special Purpose "Aratta" Battalion (formerly the 8th Battalion of the Ukrainian Volunteer Army) Black Winter Group "Paragon Company" Detachment Russian Volunteer Corps Sibir Battalion Special Unit "1514" Belarusian Volunteer Corps Volunteer Reconnaissance Battalion "Sonechko" Special Purpose Unit "Vidar" Kabul 9 Defense Intelligence Aviation Special Purpose UAV Unit "Wings" Special Purpose USV Unit "Group 13" International Legion of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine is a specialized unit part of the International Legion and HUR MO, comprising primarily ex-military volunteers from over 50 countries. They have participated in key battles across Ukraine, notably Kyiv, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Sievierodonetsk and Bakhmut. The DIU Legion operates with significant autonomy and relies heavily on self-funding for mission essential equipment. Tactical Group "Athena" Ronin Team sniper and reconnaissance company. Solidarity Special Unit Unit designated as "Khimik" Legal basis The Main Directorate of Intelligence is legally allowed to operate based upon the following documents: The Constitution of Ukraine Law of Ukraine "On the National Security of Ukraine", 1991 Law of Ukraine "On the Defense of Ukraine", 2018 Law of Ukraine "On Intelligence", 2020 Law of Ukraine "On Military Duty and Military Service", 1992 Law of Ukraine "On Central Bodies of Executive Power", 2011 Law of Ukraine "On Civil Service", 2015 Law of Ukraine "On International Treaties of Ukraine", 2004 Law of Ukraine "On the Fight Against Terrorism", 2003 Law of Ukraine "On Counter-Intelligence Activities", 2002 Law of Ukraine "On Operational and Investigative Activities", 1992 Law of Ukraine "On State Secrets", 1994 Law of Ukraine "On the Social and Legal Protection of Servicemen and Their Families", 1991 Presidential Decree "On the National Security Strategy of Ukraine", 2020 Presidential Decree "On the Military Security Strategy of Ukraine", 2021 Presidential Decree "On Additional Measures to Further Democratize Society and Strengthen Civil Control Over the Activities of Law Enforcement and Intelligence Agencies of Ukraine", 2004 Presidential Decree "On Ensuring Control over the Activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and Other Military Formations", 2010 Presidential Decree "On Strengthening Control over the Activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and Other Military Formations", 2015 Presidential Decree "On the Inter-Agency Commission on the Policy of Military-Technical Cooperation and Export Control", 2007 Presidential Decree "On Certain Issues of Leadership in the Spheres of National Security and Defense", 2008 Presidential Decree "On the Regulation of Military Service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine by Citizens of Ukraine", 2008 Directors Lieutenant General Oleksandr Skipalskyi (October 16, 1992 – June 9, 1997) Born in Volyn Oblast 1945. Graduated from the KGB Higher School in 1975. Colonel General Ihor Smeshko (June 9, 1997 – September 29, 2000) Born in Cherkasy Oblast 1955. Graduated from PhD from the National Academy of Defence in 2000. Colonel General Viktor Paliy (September 29, 2000 – March 13, 2003) Born in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast 1949. Graduated from the Military Academy of General Staff of USSR Armed Forces in 1988. Colonel (ret.) Oleksandr Halaka (March 13, 2003 – January 17, 2008) Born in Kharkiv 1955. Graduated from the Military Academy of Ground Forces Air-Defence in 1987 and the Kyiv University in 2000. Lieutenant General Viktor Hvozd (January 17, 2008 – August 17, 2010) Born in Ternopil Oblast 1959. Graduated from the Frunze Military College (Kyiv, 1981), Lviv University (1997), Magistrate of Kyiv University of Law and Economics (2005), Military-Diplomatic Academy (2009). Major General Serhiy Hmyza (August 17, 2010 – February 26, 2014) Born in Odesa Oblast 1960. Graduated Military College in 1981, the Military-Diplomatic Academy in 1991, Ukrainian State University in 2008. Major General Yuriy Pavlov (since March 3, 2014 – July 28, 2015) Born in Lviv Oblast 1962. Lieutenant General Valeriy Kondratyuk (July 28, 2015 – October 15, 2016) Born in Taraz, Kazakhstan Major General Vasyl Burba (since October 15, 2016 – August 5, 2020) Born in Rivne Oblast 1978. Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov (since August 5, 2020) – January 2, 2026) Born in Kyiv 1986. Lieutenant General Oleh Ivashchenko (since January 2, 2026) Born in 1969 Notable members Maksym Shapoval † Andriy Yusov, the head of public relations See also Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine Security Service of Ukraine Other military intelligence agencies Main Intelligence Directorate of the Russian General Staff (Russian Federation) Direction du Renseignement Militaire (France) Defence Intelligence Agency (India) Strategic Intelligence Agency (Indonesia) Military Intelligence and Security Service (Netherlands) Defence Intelligence and the Intelligence Corps (UK) Defense Intelligence Agency (US) Notes References External links Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, gov.ua Main Directorate of Intelligence on X