Rapid Operational Response Unit

The Rapid Operational Response Unit (Корпус Оперативно-Раптової Дії), commonly abbreviated KORD (КОРД), is a special purpose unit of the National Police of Ukraine. It is designed to respond to emergency situations, the level of which is so high and complex that it may exceed the capabilities of other rapid reaction forces or operational search units.

Its structure is based on SWAT units in various American police forces.

History
KORD was created as a special police force for the then-recently created National Police of Ukraine. Recruitment and training started in 2015 and in 2016 the first units were formed. KORD received training from special police units from the United States, specially from the DEA and US Marshals. Support was overseen by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.

KORD conducted its training exercise on November 3, 2016 at Boryspil International Airport with the State Border Guard Service's Dozor unit.

The unit participated in anti-terrorist Operations in Eastern Ukraine.

KORD has been involved in fighting in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, where the Kyiv KORD units ambushed Russian tanks and BMPs at the Kyiv offensive and at Brovary. For their actions, the KORD operators were awarded military awards by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

In the summer of 2024 KORD was reformed into a Special Purpose Police Brigade, taking advantage of its current military role while retaining police ranking and uniforms, with operational control over units organized in the cities. The KORD Brigade will be organized on military lines with its own formations directlt reporting to brigade headquarters, alongside those already constituted and thus is modeled on the Indonesian Mobile Brigade Corps Pelopor (Rangers) and the French National Police Intervention Force.

Missions
Among the main missions of KORD are:


 * Developing, preparing, and conducting special operations to capture dangerous criminals
 * Suppressing crimes committed by members of criminal groups
 * Rescuing hostages
 * Providing force support in the conduct of operative-search actions
 * Providing support to other police units to ensure superior firepower over offenders
 * Taking part in anti-terrorist operations conducted by the Anti-terrorist Centre of the Security Service of Ukraine
 * Studying and summarizing domestic and foreign experience, as well as the methods of work of similar foreign units in this area
 * Ensuring the implementation of security measures for persons involved in criminal proceedings

Organization


KORD's main headquarters is in Kyiv with various regions having a regional office.

In popular culture

 * KORD features in the opening scenes of Tenet (2020), during a terrorist attack at a Kyiv opera.