September 7 is Military Intelligence Day in Ukraine
Today, September 7, 2026, Ukraine is celebrating Military Intelligence Day. The holiday was established in 2022, and its date is linked to the creation in 1992 of the Directorate of Military Strategic Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
The history of Ukrainian military intelligence began after Ukraine declared its independence. In February 1992, work began on forming the Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. On September 7 of that year, pursuant to a presidential decree, the Directorate of Military Strategic Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense was established.
In July 1993, the formation of the Main Directorate of Military Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine began on the basis of two intelligence structures. In April 1994, it was renamed the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine (GUR).
In 2001, the Verkhovna Rada adopted the law “On the Intelligence Agencies of Ukraine,” which granted the GUR the status of a special state authority. And on September 7, 2022, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy established Ukraine’s Military Intelligence Day, which is celebrated annually on this very day.
The year 2026 marks the 34th anniversary of the establishment of the Directorate of Military Strategic Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
What Does Military Intelligence Do?
The Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) conducts intelligence activities in the military and defense spheres, as well as in the fields of military development, military-technical affairs, and cybersecurity. One of the key tasks of intelligence is to provide government and military leadership with the information necessary for decision-making and countering external threats in a timely manner.
During a full-scale war, the work of intelligence officers goes far beyond the collection and analysis of information. GUR units carry out combat and special missions, conduct operations against Russian military targets, and operate in occupied territories and behind enemy lines.
Technological development is a separate area of focus. In 2026, the GUR provided more details about the work of its Research Institute, which focuses, in particular, on space reconnaissance, geospatial analysis, unmanned systems, special communications, and electronic warfare capabilities.
On Military Intelligence Day, Ukrainians express their gratitude to the servicemembers who carry out missions under high-risk conditions and provide vital information to the Ukrainian command.
As a reminder, a Ukrainian small-arms scout shot down an FPV drone moments before it exploded.
On the night of July 18, Ukrainian UAVs attacked the Russian Wildberries logistics center in Elektrostal, near Moscow, and in the Tomsk region.
On July 18, Ukrainian drones struck 13 Russian vessels in the Azov and Black Seas.
Representatives of the SBU and the Main Intelligence Directorate were served with notices of suspicion in connection with a shooting in Kyiv.
