WAYS OF FORMING READINESS OF FUTURE OFFICERS OF THE NATIONAL GUARD OF UKRAINE TO APPLY MEASURES OF PHYSICAL INFLUENCE THROUGH SPECIAL COMBAT TECHNIQUES: THEORETICAL ASPECT

Abstract

The contemporary development of higher military education in Ukraine necessitates a substantial revision of professional training for future officers of the National Guard of Ukraine (NGU), driven by martial law conditions and accumulated combat experience. This article theoretically substantiates the essence, content, and structure of forming readiness among future NGU officers to apply measures of physical influence and force in current realities. Despite significant scientific groundwork, there remains a critical contradiction between heightened operational demands and insufficient theoretical conceptualization of this readiness within professional education systems. Existing approaches often isolate physical skills from legal and psychological contexts, failing to meet modern combat requirements regarding proportionality and lawfulness.

Employing a systemic approach, theoretical analysis, modeling, and comparative methods, the study analyzes new regulatory frameworks, including Orders of the NGU Commander. Readiness is defined as an integral personal-professional formation manifesting in the capability to lawfully, tactically, and technically effectively implement physical coercion. The research proposes a novel five-component structure: motivational-value, cognitive-legal, operational-activity, psycho-physical, and reflexive-corrective. Furthermore, a stage-by-stage logical scheme for formation and a criteria-level diagnostic model comprising four proficiency levels were developed to assess competency progression.

Results indicate that the systemic interaction of these components ensures holistic professional development for direct force contact situations. The scientific novelty lies in the first-time theoretical justification of this polycomponent structure and formation logic specifically for NGU officers. Practical implications include modernizing special physical training programs, developing diagnostic tools, and designing pedagogical experiments. This study establishes a methodological framework for enhancing the effectiveness of officer training within security and defense sector institutions, ensuring lawful and adaptive application of force in extreme operational environments. The findings contribute to minimizing legal risks while maximizing operational efficiency during service-combat activities, ultimately strengthening the defensive capacity of the state through improved officer competency in high-stakes scenarios. This theoretical foundation is crucial for subsequent experimental validation and comprehensive curriculum reform within higher military educational institutions.