Valeriy Kurach

He is a career airborne officer and has been marked by both prominence and controversy. A former commander of the 79th Air Assault Brigade from 2016, he resigned in 2018 after facing public backlash for supporting Odesa Mayor Trukhanov, who held Russian citizenship. Returning to service in 2022, amidst the full-scale invasion, he led the Tactical Group Vuhledar, where he delayed decisions to withdraw troops from the Uspenivka encirclement, leading to heavy losses. Subordinates described his leadership as erratic and abusive. He was dismissed from his post in December 2024 and appointed commander of the 21st Army Corps in July 2025.