Established in 1992 following Ukraine’s independence, the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine (HUR) has been pivotal to national security. It has gained a solid reputation through its successful and audacious operations both within Ukraine and beyond. Its dedication and courage is enough to inspire anyone who values freedom and independence.
Russia’s on-going war in Ukraine is a vivid example of how critical a role high-efficiency intelligence plays in resisting an aggressor. According to HUR spokesperson Andriy Yusov, the directorate’s operatives have been involved in the toughest and most important areas of battle against the enemy.
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“The professionalism, dedication, and, in the best sense, audacity of the reconnaissance warriors cannot not go unnoticed by both Ukrainians and our partners,” he says.
“Wherever HUR operates, the occupiers are in big trouble,” Andriy Yusov.
On Sept 7, Ukraine celebrates the Day of Military Intelligence, dedicated to honoring the work of the intelligence service and its contribution to protecting the national security of Ukraine.
Kyiv Post has collated together the top five most awe-inspiring and well-known special operations of the HUR since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Legendary helicopter raids: Rescue from encircled Mariupol
The Azovstal Metallurgical Plant in Mariupol became a key fortification of Ukrainian troops and a center of prolonged fighting in eastern Ukraine in 2022. At the time, the HUR conducted several raids and operations in the area.
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To assist the Ukrainian defenders and evacuate heavily wounded soldiers, the HUR organized helicopter raids into the besieged city. Seven legendary helicopters managed to penetrate the blockade of Mariupol. They flew deep into occupied territory where enemy air defense systems were located, to deliver food, ammunition, and evacuate the wounded from the plant.
To provide Ukrainian servicemen with everything they needed and evacuate those requiring assistance, the HUR sought volunteers, primarily from army aviation pilots. Each volunteer who agreed to fly to Mariupol knew they might never return.
The helicopters followed a complex route, carefully planned by the HUR. The map included intelligence data, areas covered by air defense systems, and the tactical and technical characteristics of these systems. The route was designed to avoid air defense systems or use terrain features and low flight to protect the helicopters. On board were special operations officers who acted as gunners, provided moral support to the crew, and were tasked with evacuating them in case of being shot down.
Before each flight, the helicopters were made as light as possible, with the removal of weapons systems and surplus fuel, so that enough rescue equipment could be added, along with capacity to transport the wounded.
With each subsequent flight, the operation became more challenging, and the chances of returning grew slimmer.
During the seven helicopter raids, weapons, anti-tank and anti-aircraft systems, water, food, and paratroopers were delivered to Azovstal, and wounded soldiers were evacuated.
Snake Island: How the HUR’s special operation regained strategic control
In June 2022, Ukrainian forces carried out a successful operation to regain control over the strategically important Snake Island in the Black Sea. The island had previously been under Russian control.
In May 2022, HUR and SBU units conducted an assault operation, landing by helicopter. The operation included not only remote strikes on the island but also direct actions on site, during which Ukrainian troops inflicted significant losses on the enemy and captured a large amount of enemy equipment.
As a result of the de-occupation of the island, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) fully liberated the Odesa region from Russian troops, prevented the enemy from advancing on the region's coastline, and opened the “grain corridor.”
According to the HUR, the liberation of Snake Island was a “complex” and “multi-layered” special operation that was “fraught with significant risks.”
Operation “Titmouse:” The carefully planned seized of a Russian Mi-8 helicopter
As a result of a six-month special operation under the codename “Titmouse,” Kyiv facilitated the defection of Russian Captain Maxim Kuzminov and seized the Mi-8AMTSh helicopter he brought voluntarily to Ukraine, along with its cargo.
Initial reports of this extraordinary operation emerged on Aug. 23 last year. Russian propaganda channels initially claimed that the helicopter's crew had become disoriented and mistakenly landed at a Ukrainian airbase.
However, the story took an unexpected turn later that say when Yusov stated during a telethon that the incident was not an accident but the result of a meticulously planned six-month special operation conducted by the intelligence agency.
According to Kuzminov, he took off from the “Kursk” airfield on Aug 9 at 16:30. During the flight near the settlement of Shebekino, the helicopter was already flying at a very low altitude and operating in radio silence mode. During the border crossing, the helicopter came under fire. Kuzminov believed that the fire was from Russian troops.
The helicopter flew 20 kilometers away from the border and landed at an agreed location. Along with Kuzminov, there were two other crew members on board who did not know the exact destination. After landing, they began to act aggressively, ran out of the helicopter, and headed towards the border. They had to be neutralized.
The results of the operation, which allowed Ukraine to capture the Russian Mi-8 helicopter along with its technological equipment, significantly impacted the combat capability of Russian aviation.
The pilot explained that his main motive was a disagreement with the Russian invasion of Ukraine and an unwillingness to participate in it.
Battle for Hostomel: How Ukrainian special forces disrupted Russia’s plan to capture Kyiv
On Feb. 24 2022, when Russia began its full-scale offensive in Ukraine, the village of Hostomel near Kyiv became one of the hottest points of the invasion. Russian troops attempted to land paratroopers at the Antonov airfield to advance towards the capital, which they planned to “capture in three days.”
To defend the airfield, Ukraine sent its most experienced reconnaissance special forces operatives.
On the same morning, a group of about 30 people decided to engage the enemy to buy time. The Russian paratroopers numbered over 300, but their main problem was that, despite their numerical superiority, they were not prepared for resistance from the Ukrainians.
The HUR special forces had only Kalashnikov rifles, a few grenade launchers, one armored personnel carrier, and grenades. They shot down a Russian helicopter, and a few more were downed by National Guardsmen. In total, all special services and armed formations destroyed about 500 paratroopers who were supposed to advance on Kyiv.
Defending the airfield was critically important as it allowed for the evacuation of National Guard conscripts from Hostomel, reinforced defensive positions, and gave other units time to prepare.
HUR strikes Russian forces worldwide
Ukrainian special forces from the HUR conduct various operations worldwide, including in conflict regions such as Sudan and Syria. Kyiv Post has repeatedly reported on such activities, citing anonymous sources within the defense and security forces.
A number of operations have taken place in Africa, particularly in Sudan, where the HUR focuses on countering Wagner Group mercenaries. Operations include capturing and interrogating militants, as well as drone strikes on positions of Russian mercenaries and their local allies. These actions are part of a broader Ukrainian strategy to counter Russian influence in Africa and prevent the Wagner Group from destabilizing governments.
In Syria, HUR operations are focused on destroying Russian military infrastructure. One key operation was a strike on the Russian airbase at Kuweires in eastern Aleppo in July 2024. This strike destroyed important Russian military equipment, including a mobile electronic warfare complex.
The attack occurred shortly after a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. This base had been used by Russian forces since 2015 for various military purposes, including training and transporting foreign mercenaries for the war in Ukraine.
Additionally, Ukrainian special forces have attacked other Russian positions in Syria, including checkpoints and military columns in the Golan Heights in June 2024.
In May 2023, HUR Chief Kyrylo Budanov promised to “destroy Russian war criminals anywhere in the world, wherever they may be.”
However, these operations are just some successes currently known about. As Yusov explains, the HUR indeed has many diverse units as required by the war as it is today.
“Constant development is necessary… not only gathering information and responding quickly to the enemy's plans, but also acting proactively, staying ahead of the enemy, and striking the Russians everywhere: on land, at sea, in the air.”
On the Day of Ukrainian Military Intelligence, Andriy Yusov promises that “the enemy will continue to face surprises.”
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