Police officers from Cherkasy region on the front lines: service during hostilities

Three officers of the security police from Cherkasy region — Captain Yevhen Zagorodny, Sergeant Oleksandr Bezkrovny, and Senior Sergeant Oleksandr Akulinichev — are currently performing combat missions in the zone of active hostilities in the Donetsk region.

Previously, they ensured law and order in the rear. In June 2024, during the formation of the rifle battalion of the Main Directorate of the National Police of the Cherkasy region, all three voluntarily joined this unit. Each of the officers notes that although the decision was not easy, there was no doubt — they sought to be on the front line where their help was most needed. The experience gained in the security police, as well as the ability to work in a team and discipline, came in handy at the front.

Yevhen Zagorodny, 39, has been serving in the security police for 19 years, having worked his way up from a police officer to the commander of a response platoon. He oversaw about 30 employees and coordinated their work, ensuring an effective response to alarming calls. His colleagues note him as a fair and balanced leader.

“Our service has always been based on discipline, mutual support, and responsibility. These principles help us on the front line,” says Captain Zagorodny.

Oleksandr Akulinichev, 41, also began his career in the police. Most recently, he served as a police driver in the Uman district response platoon. With more than 20 years of service, he joined the new battalion without hesitation.

“We swore to serve the people of Ukraine, and this oath has no expiration date,” emphasizes Senior Sergeant Akulinichev.

36-year-old Oleksandr Bezkrovnyi already defended Ukraine in 2014 as part of an infantry unit in the Marinka area. He began his service in the security police in 2020, and since 2023, he has been a police driver in Smila. With the beginning of the formation of the rifle battalion, he also became part of it.

“We are fighting for our relatives, children, and the right to live in a free country. This gives us strength,” shares Sergeant Bezkrovnyi.

The Security Police Department emphasizes that the stories of Cherkasy law enforcement officers are part of a bigger picture. Today, more than 1,700 security police officers from different regions serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and in the rifle units of the National Police.

The head of the department, police colonel Oleksiy Bereznevych, assured that since the beginning of the full-scale aggression, the security police have been systematically carrying out tasks under martial law.

“Today, more than 1,700 of our employees are defending Ukraine with weapons in their hands. We are proud of each of them and support not only them, but also their families,” Bereznevych emphasizes.

These soldiers have families and children who are eagerly awaiting their return. Their service is an example of courage, dignity, and loyalty to the oath, proving that the defense of Ukraine is a duty not only in the rear, but also in the most dangerous areas of the front.