Three years of reporting, funded by our readers — become a member now and help us prepare for 2025.
Goal: 1,000 new members for our birthday. Gift a membership to your friend and help us prepare for what 2025 might bring.
Become a member Gift membership
Skip to content
Edit post

Defense chief appoints new head of Ukraine’s medical forces

by Lance Luo December 2, 2023 12:30 AM 2 min read
Major General Anatoly Kazmirchuk seen at the official appointment ceremony on Dec. 1 (Defense Ministry/Creative Commons)
This audio is created with AI assistance

Major General Anatoly Kazmirchuk on Dec. 1 officially accepted the role of Commander of the Medical Forces of Ukraine, according to the Defense Ministry.

President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed Medical Forces commander Tetyana Ostashchenko on Nov. 19 amid repeated calls from medics and volunteers to fire the official, replacing her with Anatoly Kazmirchuk.

Kazmirchuk previously headed the National Military Medical Clinical Center in Kyiv.

"The life and health of our wounded soldiers is your personal responsibility. We have to combine the newest approaches of NATO with the entire range of experience of combat medics from the Ukrainian front," said Defense Minister Rustem Umerov at the appointment ceremony.

Combat medics have repeatedly said that poor quality supplies and lack of training were costing soldiers’ lives on the frontline. Cheaply produced medical tools, many made in China, have flooded Ukraine and made their way into soldiers’ equipment.

“This has been repeatedly discussed in society, in particular in the community of our combat medics — a fundamentally new level of medical support for our military is needed,” Zelensky said.

Subpar medical care in the military has been a sensitive topic as the country struggles to fight off perceptions of grand corruption.

U.S. intelligence estimates about 130,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been injured since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

Corruption prevention agency: Enlistment officers in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Lviv involved in corruption
The National Agency on Corruption Prevention uncovered that the former head of the Zaporizhzhia Oblast military enlistment office and the head of a district enlistment office in Lviv illegally accepted gifts, the Agency reported on Aug. 8.

Three years of reporting, funded by our readers.
Millions read the Kyiv Independent, but only one in 10,000 readers makes a financial contribution. Thanks to our community we've been able to keep our reporting free and accessible to everyone. For our third birthday, we're looking for 1,000 new members to help fund our mission and to help us prepare for what 2025 might bring.
Three years. Millions of readers. All thanks to 12,000 supporters.
It’s thanks to readers like you that we can celebrate another birthday this November. We’re looking for another 1,000 members to help fund our mission, keep our journalism accessible for all, and prepare for whatever 2025 might bring. Consider gifting a membership today or help us spread the word.
Help us get 1,000 new members!
Become a member Gift membership
visa masterCard americanExpress

News Feed

3:44 PM

Russian ICBM strike would be 'clear escalation,' EU says.

"While we're assessing the full facts, it's obvious that such (an) attack would mark yet another clear escalation from the side of (Russian President Vladimir Putin," EU foreign affairs spokesperson Peter Stano said, according to AFP.
1:40 PM

Merkel describes Trump as 'fascinated by Putin' in her memoir.

"(Donald Trump) saw everything from the point of view of a property developer, which is what he was before he came into politics. Every plot of land could only be sold once, and if he didn't get it, someone else would," Angela Merkel says in her memoir.
MORE NEWS

Editors' Picks

Enter your email to subscribe
Please, enter correct email address
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required

Subscribe

* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Explaining Ukraine with Kate Tsurkan
* indicates required
Successfuly subscribed
Thank you for signing up for this newsletter. We’ve sent you a confirmation email.