Zelenskiy Appoints Former Deputy Defence Minister Pavliuk as New Ground Forces Chief

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has appointed Oleksandr Pavliuk, the former first deputy defense minister, as the new commander of Ukraine’s ground forces, according to a decree issued on Sunday.

Pavliuk, who holds the rank of lieutenant-general and has served in his previous ministry role for a year, succeeds Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi. Syrskyi was designated this week as the commander of Ukraine’s armed forces.

On Saturday, Zelenskiy also announced five additional senior military appointments, creating a revamped leadership team to strengthen Ukraine’s defense amid the ongoing conflict with Russia, which has persisted for nearly two years.

As Ukraine approaches 2024, it is grappling with shortages in both personnel and equipment, having made limited progress on the battlefield throughout the past year. The nation is also experiencing interruptions in military support from the United States, its largest ally.