Zelensky reappoints Hereha as Support Forces commander
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reappointed Dmytro Hereha as the commander of Ukraine's Support Forces on May 9 after previously replacing him with Oleksandr Yakovets back in March.
Ukrainian armed forces
Zelensky appoints new Special Operations Forces head
President Volodymyr Zelensky has replaced Colonel Serhii Lupanchuk as the commander of Ukraine's Special Operations Forces. Brigadier General Oleksandr Trepak is Lupanchuk's replacement.
Zelensky dismisses Zaluzhnyi from military service
The decree stated that Zaluzhnyi was dismissed "from military service on health grounds" and retained "the right to wear a military uniform."
Government backs decree on unmanned systems Armed Forces branch
The government supported on May 7 a draft decree by President Volodymyr Zelensky on the creation of a separate Armed Forces branch dedicated to unmanned systems, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said.
Watchdog: Russian, Ukrainian accusations of chemical weapons use ‘insufficiently substantiated’
Hundreds of cases of Russia using suffocating and tear gas grenades usually dropped from drones have been recorded since the start of the full-scale invasion, with the number of incidents increasing significantly in 2024.
Man dies at military enlistment office in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast due to 'rapid health deterioration'
A man of draft age died on the territory of the Saksahanskyi military enlistment office in the city of Kryvyi Rih on May 5 due to the "rapid deterioration of his health," the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast military recruitment center reported.
Military spokesperson denies reports of destroying bridge near Chasiv Yar
Nazar Voloshyn, the spokesperson of the Khortytsia group of forces, also said Russian forces are unlikely to capture the embattled town of Chasiv Yar as they do not have enough strength for a full-scale offensive.
Defense Ministry: Medical commission members can no longer use own discretion on conscripts' eligibility
Members of the Military Medical Examination Commission can no longer use their own discretion when determining a person's eligibility for the military, the Defense Ministry said on May 4.
Air Force: Ukraine downs 23 drones overnight
Ukrainian air defense units destroyed 23 of the 24 Shahed-type drones that Russia launched overnight, the Air Force reported on May 5.
Commander: Russia aims to completely occupy 3 oblasts in 2024
Russia's goal in 2024 is to completely occupy Donetsk, Luhansk, and, if possible, Zaporizhzhia oblasts, Ukraine's Ground Forces Commander Oleksandr Pavliuk told The Times on May 2.
State Border Guard Service establishes new brigade on Ukraine's Border Guard Day
The State Border Guard Service founded its third combat brigade, "Hart" (a Ukrainian word for "to harden"), on April 30 on the occasion of Ukraine's Border Guard Day, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko announced on his Telegram channel.
Former UK Armed Forces minister: 'Ukraine defeat will cost trillions to West in new Cold War'
James Heappey said that Kyiv will need more aid packages to win the battle for "security across the whole European-Atlantic region."
The Counteroffensive: Behind the scenes with a Ukrainian drone-hunting unit
Editor’s Note: This article was published by the twice-weekly newsletter “The Counteroffensive with Tim Mak” on April 29, 2024, and has been re-published by the Kyiv Independent with permission. To subscribe to "The Counteroffensive," click here. While most Ukrainians take shelter during Russian attacks, Ukrainian soldier Kostiantyn Chernyshov heads
Syrskyi: Ukrainian forces retreat from 3 villages in Donetsk Oblast
The villages are in the Pokrovsk District in the western part of Ukraine's Donetsk Oblast, which remains one of the hottest sectors of the front line as Russia continues its offensive.
Zelensky dismisses Armed Forces' Support Forces commander appointed in March
Oleksandr Yakovets was appointed Support Forces commander on March 4, replacing Dmytro Hereha. Yakovets previously held an administrative position in the Support Forces.
Ukraine retrieves bodies of 140 fallen soldiers
The Geneva Conventions dictate that people who lost their lives during war are entitled to a dignified burial.
PTSD crisis looms as troop shortages take toll on Ukrainian soldiers’ mental health
There was nothing extraordinary about the mission until combat medic Olena found herself frozen in fear. The situation wasn’t particularly dangerous, but she couldn’t bring herself to do her job as her fellow soldiers were getting wounded. "I found myself trapped in the dugout corner, trembling like a
NYT: US secretly sent Ukraine over 100 ATACMS last week
The U.S. secretly shipped over 100 long-range ATACMS missiles to Ukraine last week, some of which were immediately deployed and used to strike a Russian military airfield in Dzhankoi in occupied Crimea, the New York Times (NYT) reported on April 25.
ISW: Effectiveness of new ATACMS may be blunted by delays in US aid
The months-long delay in U.S. military aid for Ukraine may have given Russian forces time to mitigate the effectiveness of Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) long-range missile strikes, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said on April 24.
Zaluzhnyi to start new ambassador to UK role 'in a matter of weeks'
Speaking to KYIV24, presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said some "logistical issues" still had to be resolved before he could take up his new position.
Zelensky: Draft age lowered because younger generation fit, tech-savvy
Ukraine's military needs younger men not only because they are physically fitter than older men but also because they can master technology used on the battlefield faster, President Volodymyr Zelensky told French YouTuber Hugo Travers in an interview published on April 21.
Who was Pavlo Petrychenko, the prominent activist recently killed in combat?
In his battle for Ukraine, Pavlo Petrychenko used not only weapons but also his voice. A renowned Kyiv activist, he fought for the prosecution of corrupt Ukrainian officials, demanding justice for his fellow activists, including Kateryna Handziuk, who was murdered in 2018. As a team member of the Serhiy Prytula
Danish commander-in-chief meets Syrskyi, Umerov to discuss further assistance for Ukraine
Commander-in-Chief of the Danish Armed Forces Michael Wiggers Hyldgaard visited Kyiv and met his counterpart Oleksandr Syrskyi and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov on April 20, Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief wrote on Facebook.
Humeniuk dismissed as press chief of Southern Defense Forces
The General Staff's announcement did not mention the reason for Humeniuk's dismissal, but said that the search for her replacement is underway.
General Shapovalov appointed as new head of Southern Operational Command
Brigadier General Hennadii Shapovalov has been appointed as a new commander of the Southern Operational Command's forces, the command said on April 16.
Mobilization bill submitted for presidential signature
Ukraine's bill on mobilization has been submitted to President Volodymyr Zelensky for signature, according to the online portal of Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, on April 16.
Zelensky: Allies can defend Ukraine in the same way as they protected Israel
"By defending Israel, the free world demonstrated that unity (among allies) is not only possible but 100% effective," Zelensky said after a meeting with top military and security officials . "The allies' decisive actions prevented the success of terrorism and loss of infrastructure and forced the aggressor to cool down."
Ukraine’s Western Operational Command introduces new commander
General Volodymyr Shvediuk has been appointed as the new commander of the Ukrainian military’s Western Operational Command, the command reported on April 15.
Military: 'Thousands' of Ukrainian soldiers sent to combat units after armed forces audit
The planned rotation at the front continues, with "thousands" of Ukrainian soldiers released during the audit sent to combat units, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on April 12.
Bloomberg: Ukrainian army collapse 'cannot be ruled out,' US official says
The possibility of a collapse of Ukraine's army "cannot be ruled out" and Ukraine is at its "most fragile moment in over two years of war," according to U.S. officials, Bloomberg reported on April 11.
Ukraine approves additional payments for soldiers, police officers serving at 'zero line'
Ukrainian soldiers and police officers who serve directly at the contact line of the front will receive an additional payment of Hr 70,000 ($1,785) per month, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced on April 12.
Ukraine brings back bodies of 99 fallen soldiers
Ukraine has brought back the bodies of 99 soldiers who died during Russia's full-scale invasion, the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of the Prisoners of War reported on April 12.
Armed Forces of Ukraine
The Armed Forces of Ukraine are comprised of the Ground Forces, the Marine Corps, the Navy, the Air Force, the Air Assault Forces, the Special Operations Forces, and the Territorial Defense Forces. A new branch that focuses on drone warfare, the Unmanned Systems Forces, was officially launched in June 2024. Due to the ongoing war, information on Ukraine’s exact troop numbers is not publicly known.
Learn more about Ukraine’s Armed Forces
Most popular
Editors' Picks
'I didn't know who I'd be fighting' — North Korean soldier captured by Ukraine speaks in new footage
What are Trump's options on Russia's war against Ukraine?
How Trump could use sanctions in negotiations with Russia
