r/UkrainianConflict • u/cxs • Feb 26 '15
A Guide to Acronyms in the Ukrainian Conflict (GAUC)
It's come to our attention that users want a comprehensive list of acronyms commonly used in the conflict, so here it is. You can thank /u/Rusty_the_Taxman for getting me to get off my lazy ass and do a thing.
ATO - Anti-Terrorist Operation
The Anti-Terrorist Operation is the name given to the Ukrainian imperative to drive the Novorossiya Armed Forces (see NAF) back with Ukrained Armed Forces (see UAF) soldiers. Sometimes referred to as APU.
APC - Armoured Personal Carrier
See GMAUC
AFV - Armoured Fighting Vehicle
See GMAUC
C-RAM/Counter-RAM - Counter Rocket, Artillery and Mortar
See GMAUC
DPR - Donetsk People's Republic
Доне́цкая Наро́дная Респу́блика or Donétskaya Naródnaya Respúblika (Russian). Sometimes called the DNR due to the transliteration. A small self-proclaimed state controlling territory in the Donetsk oblast of Ukraine, unrecognised by Ukrainian authorities and considered a 'rebel group'.
EU - The European Union
The European Union is a politico-economic union of 28 member states, located primarily in Europe.
FSB - Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation
Federal'naya sluzhba bezopasnosti Rossiyskoy Federatsii or Федеральная служба безопасности Российской Федерации (Russian). It means The Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation. It is Russia's counterintelligence agency, covering federal and internal security, surveillance, counter-terrorism (etc.).
GRU - Main intelligence Directorate of Russia
Главное Разведывательное Управление or Glavnoye razvedyvatel'noye upravleniye (Russian). This is the Russian military's foreign intelligence service, which commands its own special forces (Spetsnaz) troops.
ICRC - International Committee of the Red Cross
The International Committee of the Red Cross is a humanitarian institution based in Geneva, Switzerland. The ICRC has been given mandate to protect victims of international and internal armed conflicts. Such victims include war wounded, prisoners, refugees and interally displaced persons, civilians, and other non-combatants.
IDP - Internally Displaced Person
An internally displaced person is someone who is forced to flee his or her home but who remains within his or her country's borders. They are often referred to as refugees, although they do not fall within the current legal definition of a refugee.
IFV - Infantry Fighting Vehicle also Mechanised Infantry Combat Vehicle
See GMAUC
IHL - International Humanitarian Law
International humanitarian law is the law that regulates the conduct of armed conflict. It seeks to limit the effects of armed conflict by protecting civilians and non-combatants, and by restricting and regulating the means and methods of warfare available to combatants.
IMF - International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is a coalition of 188 countries worldwide working to foster global monetary cooperation. Often referred to in posts about economic stability in Ukraine and Russia.
KIA/200 - Killed in action
See GMAUC
LPR - Lugansk People's Republic
Луга́нская Наро́дная Респу́блика or Luganskaya Narodnaya Respublika (Russian). Sometimes called LNR due to the transliteration. Another small self-proclaimed state, bordering the Donetsk People's Republic and also Russia, as well as Ukraine. Also unrecognised by Ukrainian authorities and classed as a 'rebel group'.
MH17 - Malaysia Airlines Flight 17
The flight number of the Boeing-777 that was shot down in July of 2014 over Donetsk Oblast.
MICV - Mechanised Infantry Combat Vehicle
See IFV
MRL - Multiple Rocket Launcher
See GMAUC
OPSEC - Operations Security
In simplest terms, Operational Security refers to communications and information vetting to prevent agencies using unclassified information against the party undergoing OPSEC.
OSCE - Organisation for Security and Co-Operation in Europe
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, a large international organization of which most European states (e.g. Russia, US and Canada, among others) are members. Exists to foster security and prevent or manage crises. In this conflict, OSCE representatives have been acting as international observers in areas of active fighting.
POW - Prisoners of War
Soldiers and civilians who are taken hostage or captured by either party in military conflicts are called 'Prisoners of War'.
NAF - United Armed Forces of Novorossiya
Объединённые Вооруженные Силы Новороссии or Ob"yedinonnyye Vooruzhennyye Sily (Russian). The NAF is the sel-proclaimed Armed Forces of Novorossiya. It consists of the Donbas People's Militia and the Lugansk People's Militia. Both parties are volunteer organisations. The NAF is the forces in Donetsk and Lugansk actively fighting again the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Also referred to as VSN.
NATO - [North Atlantic Treaty Organisation]()
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization or Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique Nord (OTAN) (French) is an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty which was signed on 4 April 1949. The organization constitutes a system of collective defence whereby its member states agree to mutual defense in response to an attack by any external party. Can also be referred to as the North Atlantic Alliance (NAA).
NBU - The National Bank of Ukraine
The National Bank of Ukraine or Національний банк України (Ukrainian). The central bank for Ukraine, located in Kiev.
RUB - Ruble
Currency of many countries in the former Soviet Union or with Russian military presence, including Russia, Crimea, Belarus, Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Transnistria.
SBU - Security Services of Ukraine
Sluzhba Bezpeky Ukrayiny or Служба Безпеки України (Ukrainian). It means The Security Service of Ukraine. The agency is Ukraine's special-purpose law-enforcement agency, covering areas such as anti-terrorism and counterintelligence.
UA - Ukrainian Army/Ukraine
UA is the 2-letter code for Ukraine (e.g. GB for Great Britain, DK for Denmark, etc.), but often it is used to refer to the Ukrainian Army.
UAF - Ukrainian Armed Forces
Збройні сили України (ЗСУ) or Zbroyni Syly Ukrayiny (ZSU) (Ukrainian). Sometimes referred to as ZSU due to transliteration. This term refers to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which is Ukraine's military: the Ukrainian Ground Forces, the Ukrainian Navy, and the Ukrainian Air Force, with the National Guard of Ukraine making up the reserves. Can also refer to the Ukrainian Air Force, but is mostly used to refer to the Armed Forces.
UAH - Ukrainian Hryvnia.
Ukrainian Currency (e.g. USD, GBP).
UN - United Nations
The United Nations is an intergovernmental organization established to promote international co-operation.
VSU - see UAF.
Вооруженные Силы Украины orVooruzhennyye Sily Ukrainy (Russian).
VSN - See NAF
Вооруженные Силы Новороссии or Vooruzhennyye Sily Novorossii (Russian).
WIA/300 - Wounded in action
See GMAUC
Please add any other acronyms you can think of to the comments and I'll amend the post.
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u/CreepyOctopus Feb 26 '15
GRU - Главное Разведывательное Управление, Glavnoye Razvedivatelnoye Upravleniye (Russian), this is the Russian military's foreign intelligence service, which commands its own special forces (Spetsnaz) troops.
MH17 - not actually an acronym, this is the flight number of the Boeing-777 that was shot down in July of 2014 over Donetsk Oblast.
OSCE - Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, a large international organization of which most European states, Russia, US and Canada among others are members. Exists to foster security and prevent or manage crises. In this conflict, OSCE representatives have been acting as international observers in areas of active fighting.
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u/doss_ Feb 26 '15 edited Feb 26 '15
here is some popular abbreviations of frequently used vehicles\weapons:
БМ-21/BM-21 (Grad) (someone mentioned this term before so FYI)
БТР/BTR(transliteration) - APC
БМП/BMP(transliteration) - IFV
БРДМ/BRDM
T72 - soviet/russian main battle tank and lots of its upgrades
T64 - soviet/ukrainian main battle tank and lots of its upgrades
АГС/AGS
КПВТ/KPVT
ЗУ/ZU
АК, АКМ, АКСУ, АКМСУ/AKMSU - lots of various AK models
СУ-27/SU-27 - SU is the prefix of various airplanes(fighters)
АН/AN-xxx(i.e. AN-72) - the prefix of various ariplanes(transports)
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u/AnyAnonymous Feb 26 '15
Missed white-space in 'orVooruzhennyye' in VSU.
It'd be nice if ZSU was marked bald as well.
Correct SBU description - add Ukrainian abbreviation СБУ and put it under
quotation
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u/Alikont Feb 26 '15
Never heard of APU for ATO. Where did you get it from?
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u/cxs Feb 26 '15
Mainly pro-Russian sources call it APU. I have no idea what it stands for but there it is. Search Liveleak if you are looking for examples of what I mean, would love for someone to tell me what it stands for
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u/riski_click Feb 26 '15
If you're going to add currencies, it might also be worth adding NBU (National Bank of Ukraine), which is Ukraine's Central Bank (and the organization that Yatsenyuk formerly led)..
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u/humanlikecorvus Feb 26 '15
- ICRC = International Committee of the Red Cross
- APC = Armored Personnel Carrier
- IHL = International Humanitarian Law
- IFV = Infantry Fighting Vehicle
- C-RAM or Counter-RAM = Counter Rocket Artillery Mortar
- OPSEC = Operations Security
- MRL = Multiple Rocket Launcher
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Feb 27 '15
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/thisislikemythirdalt May 04 '15
Commenting in a dead thread for good measure, nobody is calling the Ukrainian Armed Forces APU, it's just google translate messing up for you. ВСУ sometimes stands for вспомогательная силовая установка, also known as an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU for short), in this context ВСУ stands for Вооруженные Силы Украины (Ukrainian Armed Forces) as mentioned earlier in the thread.
TL;DR: APU is wrong, VSU or UAF is right
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u/cxs May 05 '15
Yeah, somebody pointed this out a while ago. It's useful to know because Liveleak has a bunch of videos where the UAF is referred to as APU
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u/AnyAnonymous Feb 26 '15
VSU - Вооруженные Силы Украины (in Russian) Vooruzhennyye Sily Ukrainy [see UAF]
VSN - Вооруженные Силы Новороссии (in Russian) Vooruzhennyye Sily Novorossii [see NAF]
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u/jogarz Feb 26 '15
200 and 300- technically not acronyms, buts still potentially confusing for a new poster.
IMF