Ukraine

Ukraine

Ukraine (Україна) was formerly a socialist republic within the Soviet Union, and the largest country on the European continent. Following a failed military coup d'etat that resulted in the collapse of the USSR, Ukraine established its independence on 16 July 1990. The Armed Forces of Ukraine (Збройні сили України - ЗСУ) were formed in August of 1991, when jurisdiction over all formations of the old Soviet Armed Forces stationed in Ukraine were transferred under the control of the new republic.

Many manufacturing facilities were maintained in Ukraine under Soviet control, and these in turn also transferred ownership with the dissolution of the Soviet Union. These included a number of factories for manufacturing textiles and military uniforms, which continued to produce camouflage uniforms not only for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, but for many of its neighbors including Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, and Moldova. With a few exceptions, camouflage patterns produced in the Ukraine have always had distinctive color features (as well as unique factory markings) that make them generally easy to distinguish from those produced in neighboring Russia. As such, Ukraine is one of the only former Soviet republics to enjoy a long standing tradition of producing its own camouflage uniforms rather than importing them or copying the designs of its neighbors.

Although not yet a member, Ukraine enjoys a distinctive partnership with NATO and has joined in many military exercises with member nations, as well as peacekeeping efforts under United Nations sanction.

Ukrainian Camouflage Patterns

• The earliest camouflage patterns produced by an independent Ukraine were variants of the Soviet-designed 1988 TTsKO (Trisvetnaia kamuflirovannaia odezhda). As with those produced during the Soviet period (and by Russia thereafter), Ukrainian factories have turned out several versions of the pattern incorporating varied color schemes. Unlike virtually every other former Soviet republic, Ukraine continues to wear versions of this pattern, which is the standard camouflage design of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The pattern is known as bytan (butane) in Ukraine. Illustrated below are several Ukrainian-made variations of the bytan pattern that we have collected.

• The Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs (Міністерство внутрішніх справ України) or MVS issues a number of blue or purple-based "urban" pattern camouflage uniforms, most of which are based on the 1988 TTsKO drawings. These patterns are largely worn by special units of the MVS, such as Berkut, Kobra, etc.

• The MVS also wear urban patterns that utilize different sets of drawings, including m81 woodland style and others. Seen below is one such pattern, also worn by Berkut and other special units.

• Some Ukrainian Police units also wear a copy of the Russian MVD Тень (Ten) or "shadow" pattern, a derivative of tiger stripe with a blue/grey colorway.

• Ground and Airbase Defense Units of the Ukrainian Air Force have worn an interesting variation of the US m81 woodland design with black, brown & olive green woodland shapes on a lichen green background, although as yet we have not been able to locate very extensive documentation.

• Since the late 1990s, the Ukrainian Federal Border Guards have worn a locally-made copy of the US m81 woodland pattern. This differs considerably from that worn by some Air Force Ground units. The Border Guard pattern incorporates black, brown & forest green woodland shapes on a tan background.

• Since 2003, Ukrainian military personnel deployed to arid or desert regions have been issued a two-colour desert version of the standard Ukrainian TTsKO camouflage pattern. Several colour variations have been documented exist. The brown parts of this pattern corresponds to the brown parts of the TTsKO.

• Ukrainian Border Guards wear a pixelated camouflage pattern seen here.

• Ukrainian Airborne Troops, Special Operations/Reconnaissance units, and some Air Force personnel have all been documented wearing locally-produced copies of the German Army flecktarn pattern.

• The unique camouflage design seen below was first observed during the civil strife of 2014, worn by special internal security personnel of the MVS (Міністерство внутрішніх справ).

• Also issued in 2014, this new pixelated camouflage design for the Ukrainian Armed Forces is now in circulation.