Formed from Maidan volunteers, the unit became the 1st Reserve Battalion within the restructured National Guard of Ukraine. Under the command of Major General Serhiy Kulchytskyi, the unit was among the first to deploy to eastern Ukraine to block enemy forces in the Sloviansk area.
4th Operational Battalion 20th Operational Brigade “Lubart”
About unit
Formed in March 2014 from Maidan volunteers, the unit became the first reserve battalion of the reconstituted National Guard of Ukraine under the command of Major General Serhiy Kulchytskyi.
After the general’s death in the skies over Sloviansk, the battalion was named in his honor and fought its way from the liberation of Sloviansk to the grueling battles for Debaltseve, Popasna, and Stanytsia Luhanska.
With the start of the full-scale invasion, the soldiers defended the Kyiv region, carried out the lightning-fast Slobozhansky counteroffensive, liberating Lyman and Sviatohirsk, and held the defense in the Bakhmut area.
As part of the “Assault Guard,” the unit carried out missions within the “Bureviy” and “Khartiya” brigades, and in the spring of 2026 officially joined the 20th “Lubart” Brigade as the 4th Battalion. Preserving its own traditions and the name of Hero of Ukraine Serhiy Kulchytskyi, the unit continues its combat path as part of the 1st Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine “Azov.”
Symbols
History
Following the heroic death of Major General Serhiy Kulchytskyi in the skies over Sloviansk, a rapid-response battalion was formed from reserve battalions of the National Guard of Ukraine. In November 2016, the battalion was officially named after Hero of Ukraine Serhiy Kulchytskyi.
The battalion’s reconnaissance teams were among the first to enter the liberated city of Sloviansk, raising the Ukrainian national flag over the city. The unit’s soldiers fought their way through fierce battles in the Debaltseve sector, securing the withdrawal of Ukrainian Armed Forces units, and also held defensive positions in the areas around Stanytsia Luhanska and Popasna.
With the start of the full-scale invasion, the unit took part in the defense of the Kyiv region. During a large-scale counteroffensive in the east, the battalion’s soldiers, together with airborne assault units, liberated Lyman, Sviatohirsk, and Yarova. In 2023, the battalion carried out combat missions in the Bakhmut area.
In March 2023, the battalion joined the “Bureviy” Brigade and later the ‘Khartiya’ Brigade as part of the “Guard of the Offensive” campaign. As part of these units, the battalion’s soldiers carried out combat missions in the most intense sectors of the front. Since 2025, the battalion has been undergoing reorganization into a special-purpose battalion within the ranks of the 27th Pechersk Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine.
In the spring of 2026, the battalion joins the 20th “Lubart” Brigade as the 4th Kulchytskyi Battalion.
Preserving its own traditions and the name of Hero of Ukraine Serhiy Kulchytskyi, the battalion continues its combat path in a new formation—alongside its comrades in the “Lubart” Brigade.
Commander
Yuriy "Boroda" Kmit
First LieutenantHe has served in the “Lyubart” unit since its very inception. He rose through the ranks from private to commander of the 4th Battalion named after Major General Serhiy Kulchytskyi. He has held the positions of squad leader, company sergeant, deputy company commander, company commander, and deputy battalion commander. He has participated in all of the unit’s combat deployments and carried out combat missions in key areas of operations.
