Ukraine Defence Minister Rustem Umerov on Sunday (March 16) announced that Andrii Hnatov has been appointed as the new Chief of the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces. This is part of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s drive to reorganize and build up Ukraine’s military as fighting rages in Russia’s Kursk region and Ukraine’s Donetsk.
“We are methodically reformatting the Armed Forces of Ukraine for the purpose of increasing their fighting capabilities,” Umerov reported on Telegram.
Hnatov takes over from Anatoliy Barhylevych, who had occupied the position since February 2023. Barhylevych will become General Inspector of Ukraine’s Defence Ministry, tasked with overseeing military standards and bolstering discipline within the armed forces.
Ever since Russia’s 2022 all-out invasion, Zelenskyy has repeatedly reorganized his government and military command structure as the war continues to change. The most recent command shift comes amid growing battles in Russia’s Kursk region, where Ukraine’s General Staff reported eight battle encounters on Sunday. Ukrainian troops have had non-stop air bombardments, with Russian forces making nine airstrikes and firing 104 times on Ukrainian positions, according to official records.
The Kursk situation has been especially trying for Kyiv. Ukrainian troops initially staged a surprise cross-border attack in August 2024, capturing about 1,300 square kilometers of Russian land. But after intense fighting for months, they are now falling back, weakening their bargaining position in current ceasefire talks. Russia recently recaptured the strategic town of Sudzha, with reports indicating Moscow’s advance has been slowed by massive minefields.
At the same time, Ukraine is coming under increasing pressure in Donetsk, where Russian troops have been gradually taking ground for months, adding to Kyiv’s complicating strategic position.