Russia's National Guard to participate in peacekeeping operations

The units of Russia’s newest security body, the National Guard (Rosgvardiya), are to have the right to participate in peacekeeping operations abroad, the draft presidential decree establishing the force states.

"[Rosgvardiya] ensures, by decision of the President of the Russian Federation, the participation of the National Guard's troops [as well as] Rosgvardiya's officers [and] federal civil employees in efforts to maintain or restore international peace and security," the document says.

The National Guard is the country's new law-enforcement agency, which has received authority over the Interior Ministry's internal troops, the SOBR rapid-response and OMON riot police forces, the Okhrana (Protection) Federal State Unitary Enterprise and the Interior Ministry's extra-departmental security service.

The main tasks of Russia's new structure

The main task of the new agency will be combating terrorism, extremism and organized crime in the current circumstances. The National Guard will also be responsible for the security of state facilities and deal with issues of public order. During emergencies, the structure will be able to block communications and networks in the area of its operations.

As presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with the Russian media on April 7, the National Guard will start fulfilling its duties in parallel with the approval of the department's regulatory framework.

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