According to Zelenskyy's decree, Oleksandr Syrskyi was appointed as the new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. A number of commanders were also changed. Find out more about the appointment of new leaders of the Armed Forces

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President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed several decrees dismissing and appointing new commanders of the Armed Forces. Here is a closer look at the changes in the leadership of the Armed Forces.

Pavliuk is the new commander of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Lieutenant General Oleksandr Pavliuk will take up the post of Commander of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Previously, this position was held by Oleksandr Syrskyi.

Pavliuk graduated from the Kharkiv Tank Command School and the National Defence University. He was a participant in the ATO in Donetsk region and commanded the 24th Separate Mechanised Brigade. In 2021-2022, Oleksandr Pavliuk was the commander of the Joint Forces Operation, and from the beginning of the full-scale invasion, he was in charge of the defence of the eastern regions. He was awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine for special services.

In the spring of 2022, Pavliuk served as the head of the Kyiv JFO, was in charge of the defence of Kyiv, and then became the deputy of Oleksandr Syrskyi. In February 2023, Pavliuk was appointed First Deputy Minister of Defence.

Sodol is the new commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Yuriy Sodol will take up the post of Commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Before him, this position was held by Serhiy Nayev.

Sodol studied at the Sumy Higher Artillery Command School and the National Defence University. In 2007-2015, he was the commander of the 25th Airborne Brigade and a participant in the ATO. In 2018-2024, Yuriy Sodol was the Commander of the Marine Corps.

In February 2022, Sodol was awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine.

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Plakhut is the new commander of the Territorial Defence Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Major General Ihor Plakhut will become the new commander of the Territorial Defence Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Previously, he served as the Commander of the 169th Training Centre of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Head of the Southern Territorial Command of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and Deputy Commander of the Khortytsia Operational and Strategic Directorate.

In December 2013, as the commander of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ihor Plakhuta led the clearing of Yanukovych's opponents' "checkpoints" in the government quarter during the Euromaidan events. Hundreds of Internal Troops and Berkut soldiers were involved.

Skybyuk is the new commander of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces

Brigadier General Ihor Skybyuk will become the new commander of the Air Assault Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Previously, this position was held by Maksym Myrhorodskyi.

Prior to that, Skybyuk was Chief of Staff - Deputy Commander of the Airborne Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and also served as Commander of the 80th Separate Air Assault Brigade.

In October 2022, Skybyuk was awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine.

We remind you! Earlier, we wrote that the dismissal of Valeriy Zaluzhnyi and the appointment of Colonel General Syrskyi as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine mark a transition to a new stage in the management of the country's military affairs. This decision may reflect strategic transformations in the army's policy and directions of development. Read more about the appointment of the new leader and what Zaluzhnyi is remembered for as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

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