Former Joint Forces Commander Hnatov has been appointed as Deputy Chief of the General Staff.

The Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Rustem Umerov, announced on Thursday, February 27, the appointment of Andriy Hnatov as the Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

“Today, by my order and with the agreement of the President of Ukraine, I appointed Major General Andriy Hnatov as the Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In his new role, Major General Andriy Hnatov will be responsible for force generation and cooperation with partners,” the statement said.

Umerov emphasized that Hnatov has over 27 years of experience in the military.

“I am confident that his knowledge and skills will contribute to strengthening the defense capability of our state,” he added.

What is known about Andriy Hnatov

Hnatov graduated from the Kharkiv Tank Troops Institute. He served in Crimea and later participated in the formation of new marine infantry units from the divisions that left the peninsula after its annexation. From 2018 to 2021, he was the commander of the 36th Marine Brigade.

Following the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion, Hnatov was appointed Deputy Commander of the Operational Command “South.” He was one of those who led the defense of Mykolaiv and also commanded the defense of Bakhmut in the spring of 2023.

Let us remind you that on February 26, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed Hnatov from his position as Commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.