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Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Commander-in-Chief of the
Armed Forces of Ukraine
Головнокомандувач Збройних сил України (Ukrainian)
Sleeve patch of the CiC
Photo of the current Commander-in-Chief
Incumbent
General Mykhailo Drapatyi
since 21 July 2026
Ministry of Defence
TypeChief of Defence
AbbreviationHZSU
Member ofNational Security and Defense Council
Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief
Reports toMinister of Defence
ResidenceKyiv
NominatorMinister of Defence
AppointerPresident of Ukraine
PrecursorChief of the General Staff
Formation28 March 2020; 6 years ago (2020-03-28)
First holderRuslan Khomchak
DeputyDeputy commander-in-chief
WebsiteOfficial website

The commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (Ukrainian: Головнокомандувач Збройних сил України, romanized: Holovnokomanduvach Zbroinykh syl Ukrayiny) is the professional head of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The position was created by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on 28 March 2020, before which the chief of the General Staff was the commander-in-chief.[1]

Role

[edit]

The commander-in-chief for Armed Forces of Ukraine directs the Armed Forces of Ukraine, monitors the state of the army with military equipment, weapons, and other resources, reports to the president and the minister of defense on achieving military-strategic goals in defense.

The Law of Ukraine "On the Armed Forces of Ukraine" also stipulates that direct military leadership is an activity aimed at implementing measures for the development of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, their technical equipment, training, and comprehensive support, and determining the basis of their application and management.[2]

History

[edit]

The terminology was first used to describe the President of Ukraine as head of the armed forces. In 1993, the title was supplemented with the text "Supreme". Until 2005, Ministers of Defense of Ukraine who served as commissioned military officer or Chiefs of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (if the minister is a civilian) invariably held the title of Commanders-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.[3] On June 16, 2005, the title became permanently linked to the Chief of the General Staff with the reappointment of General of the Army Serhiy Kyrychenko.[4] Until 27 March 2020, in accordance with Art. 8 of the Law of Ukraine "On the Armed Forces of Ukraine", the Chief of the General Staff was the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. On 5 March 2022, then Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, was promoted to the rank of General by the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.[5]

Commander-in-Chief list

[edit]
No.Portrait NameTook officeLeft officeTime in officeDefence branchRef.
1
Ruslan Khomchak
Khomchak, RuslanColonel general
Ruslan Khomchak
(born 1967)
28 March 202027 July 20211 year, 121 days Ukrainian Ground Forces[6]
2
Valerii Zaluzhnyi
Zaluzhnyi, ValeriiGeneral
Valerii Zaluzhnyi
(born 1973)
27 July 20218 February 20242 years, 196 days Ukrainian Ground Forces[6][7][8]
3
Oleksandr Syrskyi
Syrskyi, OleksandrGeneral
Oleksandr Syrskyi
(born 1965)
8 February 202421 July 20262 years, 185 days Ukrainian Ground Forces[9]
4
Mykhailo Drapatyi
Syrskyi, OleksandrMajor general
Mykhailo Drapatyi
(born 1982)
21 July 2026Incumbent21 days Ukrainian Ground Forces

Deputy Commander-in-Chief

[edit]
No.Portrait NameTook officeLeft officeTime in officeDefence branchRef.
1
Yevhen Moisiuk
Moisiuk, YevhenLieutenant general
Yevhen Moisiuk
(born 1979)
29 July 202111 February 20242 years, 197 days Ukrainian Air Assault Forces[10][11]

References

[edit]
  1. Zelensky appoints Khomchak Chief Commander of Armed Forces, Korniychuk Chief of General Staff, Interfax-Ukraine (28 March 2020)
  2. Закон України «Про Збройні Сили України» на сайті Верховної Ради України
  3. "Закон України від 05.10.2000 № 2019-III «Про внесення змін до Закону України «Про Збройні Сили України»" (in Ukrainian). Верховна Рада України. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  4. General of Army of Ukraine Serhiy Kyrychenko
  5. "УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №108/2022".
  6. 1 2 Nikiforov, Serhiy (27 July 2021). "Valeriy Zaluzhny appointed as Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces instead of Khomchak – Zelensky's press secretary" (Press release). Interfax-Ukraine.
  7. Shramovich, Vyacheslav (27 July 2021). "Генерал Валерій Залужний. Що відомо про нового головнокомандувача ЗСУ" [General Valerii Zaluzhnyi. What is known about the new commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces]. BBC News Україна (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  8. "Хомчак іде з посади. Призначено нового головнокомандувача – ОП". Українська правда (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2024-07-23.
  9. "Five facts about Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukraine's new army chief". Reuters. 8 February 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  10. "Yevhen Moisiuk appointed Deputy Commander-in-Chief". Novynarnia (in Ukrainian). 29 July 2021. Retrieved 2022-09-12.
  11. "Призначені та звільнені керівники ЗСУ станом на 11 лютого. ПЕРЕЛІК" (in Ukrainian). 2024-02-11. Retrieved 2025-03-02.