Zelenskyy appoints new military leadership

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has issued decrees appointing new heads of the Joint Forces and Air Assault Forces. He also appointed Oleksandr Pavliuk as head of the Ground Forces in place of Oleksandr Syrskyi, the new commander-in-chief.

In addition to appointing Pavliuk as the new head of the Ground Forces, the president removed Serhii Naiev from the position of commander of the Joint Forces, Ukrainskaya Pravda reports, adding that Yurii Sodol was appointed in his place.

Zelenskyy also appointed the new commander of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces. Maksym Myrhorodskyi was removed from the position, which was given to Ihor Skybiuk.

Background:

• On 8 February, Zelenskyy appointed Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, replacing Valerii Zaluzhnyi.
• On 9 February, Zelenskyy appointed Major General Anatolii Barhylevych as Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
• On 10 February, the Cabinet of Ministers dismissed Oleksandr Pavliuk, First Deputy Minister of Defence, as he was leaving for another position.
• Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, stated that his newly appointed deputies, Vadym Sukharevskyi and Andrii Lebedenko, as well as Deputy Chiefs of the General Staff Volodymyr Horbatiuk, Mykhailo Drapatyi and Oleksii Shevchenko, have vast knowledge and experience that will galvanise Ukraine's victory in the war.