Changes at the command of Armed Forces of Ukraine (Updated)

The new Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces of Ukraine brings in his own team.

Updated (February 11, 14:00): Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy approved additional changes of the Ukrainian military leadership.

Commander of Ground Forces of Ukraine

Lt. Gen. Oleksandr Pavliuk has been appointed as the commander, and replaced Col. Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi. He previously served as the First Deputy Minister of Defense.

Commander of the United Forces of Ukraine

Lt. Gen. Yurii Sodol replaced Lt. Gen. Serhey Naev. Sodol previously served as the commander of the Marine Corps and Donetsk Operational Tactical Group.

Commander of Air Assault Forces of Ukraine

Brig Gen. Ihor Skybyuk has been appointed to this position. He previously served as the commander of 80th Air Assault Brigade. Skybyuk replaced Maj. Gen. Maksym Myrhorodskyi.

Commander of Territorial Defense Forces

Maj. Gen. Ihor Plahuta replaced Maj. Gen. Anatoliy Barhylevych, who became the Chief of General Staff. Plahuta served as the commander of 169th Training Center Desna in 2009, and worked as the head of Southern District of Internal Troops during Euromaidan revolution in 2014, and was personally present during the actions of Berkut in Kyiv.

Original story:

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy approved proposed candidates by the new Commander-in-Chief Col. Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi. The complete change of Ukrainian military leadership continues, and if it’s for the better, or for the worse, remains to be seen. Our site brings you a complete list of changes.

Officially approved changes

Deputies of Commander-in-Chief

Col. Vadym Sukharevskyi will primarily focus on topics related to unmanned systems and their usage in the army. It is also rumored he will become the commander of Unmanned System Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, an upcoming new branch of the army. He previously served as the commander of 59th Motorized Brigade.

Col. Andrii Lebedenko will be responsible for innovation and technological components of the army. There is no publicly available information about him.

They replaced Lt. Gen. Yevhen Moysiuk and Lt. Gen. Mykhailo Zabrodskyi.

Chief of the General Staff

Maj. Gen. Anatoliy Barhylevych replaced Lt. Gen. Serhii Shaptala. He previously served as the commander of Territorial Defense Forces. Barhylevych is a right hand of Syrskyi, served two years as deputy commander of Ground Forces and as the chief of staff of the Kortytsia Operational Grouping under Syrskyi.

Deputies of Chief of the General Staff

Brig. Gen. Volodymyr Horbatiuk will be responsible for the work of headquarters, planning and management. Horbatiuk previously served as the commander of Zaporizhzhia Tactical Grouping of Troops.

Brig. Gen. Oleksii Shevchenko will be responsible for logistics. Shevchenki previously served as the head of Odesa military academy.

Brig. Gen. Mykhailo Drapatyi will be responsible for the preparation and training of Ukrainian troops. Drapatyi previously served as the commander of Kherson Tactical Grouping of Troops.

It is currently unknown who they replaced.

Rumored changes

Commander of Ground Forces of Ukraine

Lt. Gen. Oleksandr Pavlyuk is rumored to become the new commander of Ukrainian Ground Forces. He would replace Col. Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi, who became the Commander-in-Chief of Armed Forces of Ukraine. On February 10, 2024, Pavlyuk was dismissed from the position of the First Deputy Minister of Defense.

High-ranking roles

It is rumored that Col. Pavlo Palisa, the commander of 93rd Mechanized Brigade, should be promoted to a higher position.

Brig. Gen. Ihor Skybyuk, the Deputy Commander of the Air Assault Troops, is also rumored to be promoted to a higher position.