Kyiv, March 16 (Reuters) - President Volodymyr Zelenskiy appointed Major-General Andriy Hnatov as Ukraine's chief of the general staff on Sunday, as part of efforts to accelerate army reform.
According to a decree on the presidential website, General Hnatov, formerly a deputy chief of staff, will succeed Lieutenant-General Anatoliy Barhilevych.
"We are consistently transforming the armed forces to enhance their combat readiness. To achieve this, we are reforming the management system and implementing clear standards," stated Defence Minister Rustem Umerov.
With 27 years of military experience, Hnatov has advanced from commanding a marines brigade to leading troops in the eastern Donetsk region.
Barhilevych will now oversee military standards and reinforce discipline within the army, noted the minister.
As Ukraine heads into its fourth year of conflict with Russia, it aims to revamp and fortify its military capabilities against its more sizeable adversary.
Facing setbacks on the battlefield, Ukrainian forces are retreating and facing intensified pressure in the eastern Donetsk region, where Russian troops have been making advances for months.
Approximately 880,000 individuals are currently serving in the Ukrainian armed forces, as estimated by military analysts.
Despite the challenges of war, the country has been working to modernize its military by discarding its Soviet-era practices, appointing younger commanders with combat experience, and promoting innovative strategies. Last year, Ukraine established a specialized unmanned systems force.
Earlier this year, Ukrainian military authorities announced a shift from a brigade-based system to a "corps" model of larger units, aiming to enhance coordination among forces deployed along over 1,000 kilometers of frontlines and expedite decision-making processes.
The 3rd separate assault brigade, one of Ukraine's elite units, revealed its reorganization as a corps, signaling a shift in the approach to the conflict.
"We intend to alter the principles and methods of this conflict," stated Commander Andriy Biletskyi in a video introducing the transition. "This signifies changing the course of the war in Ukraine's favor."