Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, has appointed General Andriy Khmatov, who recently commanded the eastern front, as the new Chief of Staff.
On the 16th (local time), the Ukrainian Presidential Office announced on its website that President Zelensky appointed Khmatov as the Chief of Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
The new Chief of Staff, Khmatov, played a leading role in recapturing the southern Kherson region from Russian forces. He was appointed as the commander of the eastern region in mid-last year and recently served as the Deputy Chief of Staff.
Meanwhile, the former Chief of Staff Anatoly Barelevich will move to the position of the Inspector General of the Ministry of Defense, monitoring and supervising the adherence to military standards and discipline, aiming to enhance the efficiency and combat capabilities of the military organization, according to Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.
This appointment comes amid challenges faced by the Ukrainian military on the western Kursk front due to major offensives by Russian and North Korean forces.
On February 27, 2022, following the Russian invasion, Ukraine was on the brink of having its capital Kyiv fall, and over 20% of its territory remains occupied by Russian forces.
In an attempt to change the situation, the Ukrainian military launched a surprise counterattack across the border last August, temporarily capturing about 1,300 square kilometers in Russia’s Kursk region, but this has since dwindled to an area of about 80 square kilometers, according to the New York Times (NYT).
The local Ukrainian media, Kyiv Independent, also reported that the Ukrainian military admitted to withdrawing their troops from the strategic point of Sudzha in Kursk.
[Photo Source: Yonhap News / Facebook capture of Defense Minister Rustem Umerov]
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