"There's a shortage of personnel on the front lines": A new National Guard unit has been formed in Uman to ensure the safety of Hasidim

To ensure public order during the annual celebration of the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, in Uman, a special patrol company of the Ukrainian National Guard was formed. According to , as reported by the publication “Suspilne.Cherkasy,” the new unit was formed during the summer from volunteer contract soldiers aged 18 to 40.

According to Vladislav Skrypnyk, deputy commander of the patrol battalion, the company’s personnel consists primarily of natives of the Cherkasy region. The decision to recruit local residents stems from their thorough knowledge of the city’s infrastructure, which allows for more effective control of the situation. It is important to note that this unit will not be deployed for combat missions—its key function is to maintain law and order in the city on an ongoing basis throughout the year.

The first major test for the new company was ensuring security during the Hasidic pilgrimage. To facilitate communication with visiting guests, the soldiers began studying Hebrew well in advance. As one of the soldiers, Mikhail Yurchenko, explained, a basic knowledge of the language is necessary for effective communication with the pilgrims, particularly for explaining routes or procedures in the event of an air raid alert. It is worth noting that the issue of pilgrim safety in Uman is under the president’s personal supervision.

As previously reported, it was announced that the traditional annual religious procession, which was scheduled to begin on August 19 from the Holy Trinity Brailov Women’s Monastery to the Dormition Pochaiv Lavra, will not take place this year. The decision to cancel the event was made due to the martial law in effect and a corresponding order from the Vinnytsia Regional Administration.