{{short description|Military unit}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2023}} {{Infobox military unit | unit_name = Saint Mary's police company | native_name = Рота поліції «Свята Марія» | image = Емблема РПСМОП «Свята Марія».svg | image_size = | alt = | caption = Emblem of the Saint Mary's Battalion | dates = 2014–2016 | disbanded = | country = {{flag|Ukraine|optional variant|size=25px}} | allegiance = | branch = | type = National Police of Ukraine | role = Special Tasks Patrol Police | size = 100 people | patron = Saint Mary | motto = "Dominus Tecum" ("The Lord is with you") | battles = {{tree list}} * Russo-Ukrainian War ** War in Donbas (2014–2022) *** Battle of Mariupol (2014) {{tree list/end}} | battles_label = | decorations = | battle_honours = | battle_honours_label = | flying_hours = | website = | notable_commanders = Dmytro Linko<br>Dmytro Korchynsky }} The '''Saint Mary's police company''' ({{langx|uk|Рота поліції «Свята Марія»}}), later known as '''Saint Mary's battalion''', was a Ukrainian Christian volunteer police unit known for fighting against pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.<ref name="aljazeera.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2015/04/taliban-crusade-ukraine-front-lines-150414125522623.html|title='Christian Taliban's' crusade on Ukraine's front lines|work=aljazeera.com}}</ref> In 2016, the unit ceased to exist.<ref name="news.online.ua">[https://news.online.ua/745451/stalo-izvestno-o-rospuske-dobrovolcheskogo-batalona-kotoryy-voeval-na-donbasse/ За словами Корчинського, місяці два з половиною тому довелося розпустити батальйон]</ref>
==History== [[File:No to capitulation! Kyiv, 2019.10.06 - R16-crop.jpg|thumb|The first commander of the Saint Mary's Battalion Dmytro Linko]] [[File:Комбат Олексій Середюк.jpg|thumb|The last commander Alexey Seredyuk]]
From the beginning, the supporters of Brotherhood, a far-right Ukrainian nationalist political party, founded the '''Company of Jesus Christ''' as part of the Azov Battalion. Then the company moved to the Shakhtarsk Battalion. After his disbandment, the company was enlarged into a battalion called St. Mary's and joined the structure of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and later the National Police, where it was formally assigned to the special operations department.
As part of the Mariupol military garrison, the Saint Mary's Battalion took part in Battle of Mariupol. They adjusted the fire of the Ukrainian artillery and performed reconnaissance and sabotage functions.<ref>[https://gordonua.com/news/war/V-Mariupole-sozdan-batalon-Svyataya-Mariya-42544.html В Мариуполе создан батальон «Святая Мария»]</ref>
In the winter of 2014, the Saint Mary's Battalion continued to defend the strategically important city of Mariupol. "This war is forcing us to rapidly learn military wisdom in combat. Yes, now fighters are actively learning skiing. At this time of year, this is almost the only convenient and most effective mean of moving in positions, especially for reconnaissance groups in the field. Since the beginning of the war, not only our volunteers, but also professional soldiers have been discovering everything for the first time. We are becoming real hunters - we need to feel the enemy, understand his tracks and plans" says Commander Seredyuk.<ref name="informator.su">[http://www.informator.su/yak-svyata-mariya-zahishhaye-mariupol-den-z-kombatom-oleksiyem-seredyukom/ Як «Свята Марія» захищає Маріуполь: день з комбатом Олексієм Середюком]</ref>
This organization claimed that they were influenced by the Taliban. Chornly, a leader of the company told Al Jazeera, "We are creating the Christian Taliban here. Our main ideology is faith, and this is the advantage we have. Our soldiers are the bringers of European traditions and the Christian mindset of the 13th century."<ref name="aljazeera.com"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://theintercept.com/2015/03/18/ukraine-part-3/|title=The Making of a Christian Taliban in Ukraine|first=Marcin |last=Mamon |date=2015-03-18 |publisher=}}</ref>
In 2016, the Saint Mary's Battalion, founded by Dmytro Korchynsky, ceased to exist. The decision to dissolve was made by Korchynsky himself. According to Korchynsky, the decision to disband was made due to the impossibility of further staffing the battalion exclusively with its own personnel and due to the fact that "most of its fighters sought to fight, not to protect public order".<ref name="news.online.ua"/>
==Command== The first commander of the Saint Mary's Battalion was Dmytro Linko. He was elected People's Deputy of Ukraine on the lists of the Radical Party of Oleh Lyashko.<ref>[http://www.svobodnaya.odessa.ua/news/9526-1409181529.html Одессит возглавил спецбатальон МВД «Святая Дева Мария»]</ref><ref>[http://hrabro.com/70428 Комбат «Святой Марии» избран депутатом Верховной Рады]</ref> Linko resigned as commander, but remained in the battalion as a private. Alexey Seredyuk, nickname "Borghese" became the new commander.<ref name="informator.su"/>
Ternopil police officer Ivan Soldak, nickname "Brest", acted as an assistant commander for relations with state, public and volunteer organizations.<ref>[http://7days-ua.com/news/v-ukrajini-sche-ne-perevelysya-patrioty-hidni-syny-slavetnyh-predkiv-bojets-bataljonu-svyata-mariya-foto/ «В Україні ще не перевелися патріоти, гідні сини славетних предків», — боєць батальйону «Свята Марія» (Фото)]</ref>
==Voluntary assistance== Supportive residents from the city of Irpin raised funds and bought an armored Volkswagen minibus, 255 boxes of glucose and 5 boxes of anti-burn drugs for the Saint Mary's Battalion. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reserve major general Viktor Mikulin and SBU reserve lieutenant colonel Yuriy Lavreniuk delivered a car with a valuable cargo to Mariupol on 11 October.<ref>[http://www.golos.com.ua/Article.aspx?id=357099 Офіцери СБУ передали маріупольському батальйону «Свята Марія» броньовик і медикаменти], ''Голос України'', 11 жовтня 2014</ref> Odesa Vice Mayor Oles Yanchuk brought three tons of food (cereals, pasta, canned food, sugar, tea, etc.), 120 pairs of American military shoes, 100 blankets, clothes for military medical personnel, Kevlar helmets and donated a KrAZ military vehicle to the battalion.<ref>[http://www.bratstvo.info/ua/poslannya/4967-dyakuemo-vitse-meru-odesi-olesyu-yanchuku-za-dopomogu Дякуємо віце-меру Одеси Олесю Янчуку за допомогу!]</ref> Lviv volunteers from Lviv Polytechnic National University and Lviv People's Self-Defense Fund purchased an Opel Frontera car for the Saint Mary's Battalion.<ref>[https://uk-ua.facebook.com/sv.marya/posts/637026789743099 Батальйон Свята МАРІЯ висловлює подяку львівським волонтерам]</ref>
==Losses== *Kirill Heinz with nickname "German", a volunteer, died on 10 February 2015. * Valery Deresh with nickname "Amen", a police officer, died on 22 February 2015. *Vasyl Rosokha with nickname "Quiet", a private of the police, died on 22 February 2015.
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Ukrainian volunteer battalions}} Category:Far-right politics in Ukraine Category:Paramilitary organizations based in Ukraine Category:Special tasks patrol police of Ukraine Category:Military units and formations established in 2014 Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 2016