Main Directorate of Intelligence (Ukraine)
The Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine (Ukrainian: Головне управління розвідки Міністерства оборони України, romanized: Holovne upravlinnja rozvidky Ministerstva oborony Ukrajiny, abbreviated as HUR MO or GUR MO) is the military intelligence service of the Ukrainian government. It is an agency of the Ministry of Defence, not the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
| Головне управління розвідки Міністерства оборони України Holovne upravlinnja rozvidky Ministerstva oborony Ukrajiny | |
Seal of the HUR | |
Emblem of the HUR | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | September 7, 1992 |
| Preceding agencies | |
| Jurisdiction | Government of Ukraine |
| Motto | Sapiens dominabitur astris (eng. The wise will rule the stars) |
| Employees | Classified |
| Annual budget | ₴1 billion |
| Agency executive | |
| Parent agency | Ministry of Defence |
| Website | gur.gov.ua |
Since 2016, the owl has been the symbol of the HUR (at the same time, the bat – a prey animal of the owls – is the symbol of the Spetsnaz GRU), the owl hovers over a map of the world and stabs a sword from the sky at a blackened Russia. The Russian Federation was outraged, calling this a provocation.
At first, the motto of the HUR was "Statehood, Professionalism, Decency", then from 2016 onwards the agency's motto is "The Wise will rule the Stars" (Latin: Sapiens Dominabitur Astris), an allusion to the motto of the hostile Spetsnaz GRU ("Only the stars are above us").