Ukraine’s Zelenskiy Reveals Revamped Military Team, Reports Reuters

KYIV – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced five new senior military appointments on Saturday as he continues to restructure his military leadership. This follows his earlier designation of Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi as the new head of the armed forces.

In his evening address, Zelenskiy mentioned spending the day engaged with military and government leaders, emphasizing the selection of experienced "combat commanders" from the ongoing conflict to assume new roles. Ukraine is approaching the two-year mark since Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Colonel Vadym Sukharevskyi will serve as deputy chief of staff, overseeing unmanned systems and the development of drone capabilities for the military. Colonel Andriy Lebedenko will focus on technological innovations within army and combat systems, according to Zelenskiy’s statement.

Additionally, three brigadier generals were appointed as deputies of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Volodymyr Horbatyuk will handle operations and management, Oleksiy Shevchenko will be responsible for logistics, and Mykhailo Drapatyi will oversee training.

"We continue the reboot of the management team," said Zelenskiy in his address.

Syrskyi, who was elevated from his previous role as commander of ground forces on Thursday, now leads Ukraine’s 800,000-member military. He highlighted the importance of drones and electronic warfare as critical technologies that could secure victory for Ukraine.

Despite ongoing efforts, Ukraine has struggled to regain significant territory since late 2022 and faces potential challenges in military aid from the United States, its main supporter.