The special unit of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine "Kraken" strikes fear into the hearts of the occupiers. It has already become a "scarecrow" in Russian propaganda due to its success on the front lines. The "Kraken" soldiers have liberated several towns in Kharkiv region, including Balakliya and Kupyansk. Moreover, the unit is a reconnaissance and sabotage unit, conducting complex military operations and working behind enemy lines.

The future "Kraken" unit soldiers began preparing for a possible full-scale invasion by Russia six months before February 24. Veterans of the "Azov" regiment and officers of the Main Intelligence Directorate shared their experience with civilians during training courses. A total of 3,000 people went through the training courses. Therefore, in the first hours of the war, they were able to mobilize about 900 people among those who had completed the courses and occupy defensive positions on the Kharkiv Ring Road. On February 27, together with other units of the Ukrainian defense forces, the soldiers destroyed a Russian column that had managed to break through to the city. By the 3rd or 4th day of the full-scale invasion, the future special unit had already grown to 1,500 soldiers.

The separate intelligence-diversionary unit "Kraken" was formed in March by veterans of "Azov" and volunteers on the basis of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. The special forces of "Kraken" carried out their first operation on March 25, when they liberated the village of Vilkhivka and neutralized the strategic plan of the Russian army, putting a stop to the plans of the Russians in the direction of Kharkiv-Chuguev. The success of this operation had strategic significance in restoring the front line and further de-occupying the village of Mala Rogan. During the battles for Vilkhivka, the "Kraken" special unit eliminated 70 occupiers and took 27 prisoners, as well as destroyed 3 units of equipment and seized an MT-LB and a command-staff vehicle of the Russian forces. Despite the successful offensive operation, "Kraken" lost 6 soldiers.

On April 29, with the support of the officers of the Main Intelligence Directorate, the "Kraken" fighters liberated the village of Ruska Lozova. This is a strategically important settlement located on the "Kharkiv-Belgorod" highway. From there, the aggressors deliberately shelled civilian infrastructure and residential areas of Kharkiv. Russian forces suffered losses of over 100 personnel and about 20 units of equipment.

After the liberation of Ruska Lozova, the "Kraken" unit was tasked with urgently storming the town of Pidtomnyk, as holding one settlement without the other was impossible. Pidtomnyk was a strategic height, the control of which prevented shelling of Kharkiv with rifled artillery. On May 10, special forces, together with other units of the Ukrainian defense forces, liberated the town. During the operation to liberate Ruska Lozova and Pidtomnyk, 7 soldiers of the special unit were killed.

Over the next two months, the "Kraken" unit defended Pidtomnyk against two battalion-tactical groups of Russian troops. This was despite the fact that "Kraken" had completely different tasks. Then, neighboring units of the Ukrainian defense forces took positions in the town, and the "Kraken" unit was tasked with advancing into the Luhansk and Donetsk regions.

In mid-July, the "Kraken" unit conducted a fire raid on the town of Bilohorivka in the Luhansk region and disrupted the Russian offensive on the city of Sievernsk in Donetsk Oblast. During the operation, special forces eliminated 60 occupiers and destroyed 5 units of Russian military equipment. "Kraken" also captured two aggressors, including a Russian GRU scout.

The next successful operation of the special forces unit was the liberation of the city of Balakliia. This operation marked the beginning of a counteroffensive by the Ukrainian army and it was this operation that broke the front line of the aggressors in Kharkiv Oblast. In the end, the "Kraken" fighters raised the Ukrainian flag and officially reported to the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, about the city's de-occupation.

Almost immediately, the "Kraken" conducted an offensive operation in Kupiansk and crossed the Oskil River, which allowed them to drive the Russian army out of the left bank part of the city of Kupiansk and create a foothold for adjacent units of the Ukrainian defense forces. On September 27, the "Kraken" special forces unit completely cleared the town of Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi of aggressors. During the clearance of the town, one of the assault groups of "Kraken" encountered a platoon of Russian troops. As a result of intense contact, the enemy group was defeated and retreated with many losses, leaving behind a lot of trophies. The special forces also liberated the towns of Kivsharivka, Podoly, Novoosinove, Hlushkivka, and Kolisnykivka.

During the entire operation, the Ukrainian army destroyed and repelled the following Russian units: the 27th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade, the 55th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade, the 200th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade, the 61st Separate Marine Brigade, the Wagner Private Military Company, and the "Bars" units. In total, the counteroffensive in the Kharkiv Oblast took the lives of 9 "Kraken" soldiers. Currently, the offensive operation of the Ukrainian army is successfully continuing on the left bank of the Oskil River.

The charitable foundation TVIY KROK announces a fundraiser for converting a pickup truck into a mobile workshop with all the necessary tools and equipment for the KRAKEN special forces unit.

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