Zelensky appoints new Army Chief of Staff

Kyiv, March 17 (IANS) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has appointed Major General Andrii Hnatov as the Chief of the general staff of the Ukrainian armed forces to replace Lieutenant General Anatolii Barhylevych.

The decrees to dismiss Barhylevych and appoint Hnatov, published on the presidential website, did not specify the reasons for the replacement.

Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov wrote on Facebook that the reshuffle in the armed forces aims to enhance their combat effectiveness, Xinhua news agency reported.

"We are systematically transforming the Armed Forces of Ukraine to enhance their combat effectiveness," Umerov said in a Facebook post, applauding a promotion that he said came at his recommendation.

Umerov noted that Hnatov has more than 27 years of military experience, having previously commanded a marine brigade, the troops of Operational Command East, and the Joint Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

According to a statement by the Ukrainian Defence Ministry, Barhylevych has been appointed chief inspector of the Ministry with the mission to ensure compliance with military standards and strengthen discipline within the armed forces.

Barhylevych started in February 2024 to served as the Chief of the general staff of the Ukrainian armed forces.

More than three years into the full-scale war, Ukraine is slowly withdrawing on multiple fronts amid a critical manpower shortage. Kyiv is trying to modernise the army in an attempt to solve long-standing issues, such as command culture and resource management.

Drawing on the experience of NATO partners, Ukraine is currently trying to implement a corps system instead of a brigade one, in an effort to improve cohesion.

"Transformation continues," Umerov wrote in the same Facebook post.

Military analysts estimate that about 880,000 people currently serve in the Ukrainian armed forces.

Despite the wartime challenges, the country has implemented changes to shed the Soviet legacy and make its military more efficient, appointing younger commanders with combat experience and supporting innovations. Last year Ukraine introduced a dedicated unmanned systems force.

At the start of this year, Ukrainian military officials said the country would move away from its brigades-based system towards a "corps" system of larger units, aiming to improve coordination among its forces spread along more than 1,000 km of frontline and speed up decision-making.

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