The Commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Andriy Hnatov, will transition to the General Staff. This information is conveyed in a statement by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Major General Andriy Hnatov has been appointed to the General Staff as the Deputy Chief of the General Staff.
He stated that Hnatov's task is to enhance the training level of operational headquarters and improve the quality of interaction between the headquarters and the front lines.
We discussed these changes with Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky. The tasks have been set at all levels.
What is known about Hnatov
Andriy Hnatov is a Brigadier General of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, serving as the Commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine since June 2024. He was born in Ukraine and received his education at the Kharkiv Tank Institute.
He began his military career in a marine battalion, serving in Crimea until Russia's annexation of the peninsula. After that, he remained loyal to his oath and moved to mainland Ukraine, continuing his service.
From 2016 to 2018, Hnatov held the position of Chief of Staff of the 36th Separate Marine Brigade, and from 2018 to 2021, he commanded this brigade. His service on the frontline during the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) and the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) is marked by significant achievements in defending Ukraine against Russian aggression.
Since the onset of the full-scale war in 2022, Hnatov has led the "Priazov" military grouping, making notable contributions in repelling Russian offensives in southern Ukraine.
Thanks to his strategy, the forces regained control over several settlements in the Kherson region and successfully halted the enemy's advance. In June 2022, he was awarded the rank of Brigadier General for his accomplishments in defensive operations.
For his service, Andriy Hnatov has been honored with the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, the Cross of Combat Merit, and other state awards.
Previously, Zelensky appointed a new commander for the Operational Command "Khortytsia".