The Command Disbands All Operational Groups

The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, announced via his Telegram channel that all Operational Strategic Groups (OSUV) and Operational Tactical Groups (OTU) of the Ground Forces have completed their missions and have been disbanded. Their responsibilities have been transferred to newly formed temporary command structures known as Operational Task Force units.

These formations serve as combat extensions of the existing Operational Commands, which continue to function and remain responsible for logistics, troop training, and other support tasks.

At present, there are five Operational Task Force units — West, North, South, East, and Kursk. They will be joined by a sixth, the Joint Forces Command, which will receive its own sector of the front and subordinate corps formations. The command is likely to be transferred from the General Staff to the Ground Forces to streamline the command hierarchy. The Joint Forces Command is led by former Ground Forces Commander Major General Mykhailo Drapatiy.

Joint Forces Command

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Kursk Force Grouping

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Operation Task Force East

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Operation Task Force North

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Operation Task Force South

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Operation Task Force West

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History of Operational Groups

The history of Ukraine’s temporary command structures dates back to 2014, following Russia’s invasion of the Donbas and the creation of the so-called Sectors, which were later transformed into Operational Groups in 2016. After Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, the Ukrainian Army expanded with dozens of new combat brigades, increasing the need for additional operational groups.

All operational groups functioned as temporary military-administrative bodies, established specifically to command troops within active combat zones.

For a detailed overview of the history and role of these Operational Groups, we recommend reading our article “The Role of Tactical Groups and Corps in the Armed Forces,” where everything is explained in depth.