Chief of the General Staff (Ukraine)

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Chief of the General Staff
Начальник Генерального штабу
Sleeve patch of the General Staff
Flag of the Chief of the General Staff
Incumbent
Major General Anatoliy Barhylevych
since 9 February 2024[1]
Ministry of Defence
Member ofthe General Staff
Reports toCommander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces
AppointerPresident of Ukraine
FormationApril 1918 (historical)
23 December 1991 (current)
First holderColonel Oleksandr Slyvynsky

The Chief of the General Staff (Ukrainian: Начальник Генерального штабу, romanized: Nachalnyk Heneralnoho shtabu) is the head of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the military staff of the Forces. He is appointed by the President of Ukraine.[2]

Since a decree by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on 28 March 2020, the posts of Chief of the General Staff and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces have been separate.[3] Previously the Chief of the General Staff also served as the Commander-in-Chief when a civilian was the Minister of Defense[4] (before 1 January 2019 it was not a requirement that the Minister of Defense be a civilian).[5]

The current Chief of the General Staff is Anatoliy Barhylevych.

Chiefs of General Staff[edit]

Armed Forces of Ukraine[edit]

The office created upon the reorganization of the Soviet Kyiv Military District when its head, Colonel General Viktor Chechevatov,[6] after receiving the offer to be appointed to the post, refused to pledge his allegiance to the Ukrainian people. Originally it was known as Chief of the Headquarters and was designated as the First Deputy of the Minister of Defense. In 1996 it was changed to Chief of the General Staff. In 2002 as part of military reform, the post was separated from the civil service and lost its ministerial deputy functions. In 2005 Chief of the General Staff was reaffirmed as the primary commander of the Armed Forces in the country and was granted a parallel post of Commander-in-Chief. In 2020 another reorganization took place as part of ongoing military reform triggered by the Russian aggression and the post of Commander-in-Chief was split into a separate post.

No. Portrait Chief of the General Staff Took office Left office Time in office Defence branch Ref.
–
Georgiy Zhyvytsia [uk]
Zhyvytsia, GeorgiyLieutenant General
Georgiy Zhyvytsia [uk]
(1937–2015)
Acting		23 December 19914 June 1992164 days Ukrainian Ground Forces[7]
1
Vasyl Sobkov
Sobkov, VasylLieutenant General
Vasyl Sobkov
(1944–2020)		4 June 199225 September 1992113 days Ukrainian Ground Forces.
–
Ivan Bizhan
Bizhan, IvanLieutenant General
Ivan Bizhan
(born 1941)
Acting		25 September 199224 March 1993180 days Ukrainian Ground Forces.
2
Anatoliy Lopata [uk]
Lopata, AnatoliyColonel General
Anatoliy Lopata [uk]
(born 1940)		24 March 199310 February 19962 years, 323 days Ukrainian Ground Forces[7][8]
3
Oleksandr Zatynaiko
Zatynaiko, OleksandrColonel General
Oleksandr Zatynaiko
(born 1949)		12 March 199630 September 19982 years, 202 days Ukrainian Ground Forces[7]
4
Volodymyr Shkidchenko
Shkidchenko, VolodymyrGeneral of Army of Ukraine
Volodymyr Shkidchenko
(born 1948)		1 October 199813 November 20013 years, 43 days Ukrainian Ground Forces[7]
–
Mykola Palchuk [uk]
Palchuk, MykolaLieutenant General
Mykola Palchuk [uk]
(1945–2016)
Acting		13 November 200127 November 200114 days Ukrainian Ground Forces.
5
Petro Shulyak
Shulyak, PetroColonel General
Petro Shulyak
(born 1945)		27 November 200128 July 2002223 days Ukrainian Ground Forces[7]
(3)
Oleksandr Zatynaiko
Zatynaiko, OleksandrColonel General
Oleksandr Zatynaiko
(born 1949)		13 August 20023 June 20041 year, 295 days Ukrainian Ground Forces[7][9]
6
Serhiy Kyrychenko
Kirichenko, SerhiyGeneral of Army of Ukraine
Serhiy Kyrychenko
(born 1952)		19 July 200418 November 2009
[a]		7 years, 122 days Ukrainian Ground Forces[7][10]
7
Ivan Svyda
Svyda, IvanColonel General
Ivan Svyda
(born 1950)		18 November 200931 May 2010
[b]		194 days Ukrainian Ground Forces[10][11]
8
Hryhoriy Pedchenko
Pedchenko, HryhoriyColonel General
Hryhoriy Pedchenko
(born 1955)		31 May 201018 February 20121 year, 263 days Ukrainian Ground Forces[12][13][14]
9
Volodymyr Zamana
Zamana, VolodymyrLieutenant General
Volodymyr Zamana
(born 1959)		18 February 201219 February 20142 years, 1 day Ukrainian Ground Forces[13][14]
10
Yuriy Ilyin
Ilyin, YuriyAdmiral
Yuriy Ilyin
(born 1962)		19 February 201428 February 20149 days Ukrainian Navy[15][16]
11
Mykhailo Kutsyn
Kutsyn, MykhailoLieutenant General
Mykhailo Kutsyn
(born 1957)		28 February 20143 July 2014125 days Ukrainian Ground Forces[17]
12
Viktor Muzhenko
Muzhenko, ViktorGeneral of the Army of Ukraine
Viktor Muzhenko
(born 1961)		3 July 201421 May 20194 years, 322 days Ukrainian Ground Forces[2][18]
13
Ruslan Khomchak
Khomchak, RuslanLieutenant General
Ruslan Khomchak
(born 1967)		21 May 201928 March 2020312 days Ukrainian Ground Forces[18][3]
14
Serhiy Korniychuk
Korniychuk, SerhiyLieutenant General
Serhiy Korniychuk
(born 1965)		28 March 202028 July 20211 year, 122 days Ukrainian Ground Forces[3]
15
Serhiy Shaptala
Shaptala, SerhiyLieutenant General
Serhiy Shaptala
(born 1973)		28 July 2021Incumbent2 years, 262 days Ukrainian Ground Forces[19]
16
Anatoliy Barhylevych
Barhylevych, AnatoliyMajor General
Anatoliy Barhylevych
(born 1969)		9 February 2024Incumbent66 days Ukrainian Ground Forces[20]

Historical offices[edit]

Ukrainian People's Republic[edit]

Ukrainian General Staff
No. Portrait Chief of the Ukrainian General Staff Took office Left office Time in office
1
Borys Bobrovsky [uk]
Bobrovsky, BorysMajor General
Borys Bobrovsky [uk]
(1868–1933)		November 1917March 19184 months
2
Oleksandr Slyvynsky [uk]
Slyvynsky, OleksandrColonel
Oleksandr Slyvynsky [uk]
(1886–1956)		8 February 191812 February 19184 days
3
Oleksander Osetsky
Osetsky, OleksandrEnsign general
Oleksander Osetsky
(1873–1937)		12 February 1918August 19194 months
Headquarters of the UPR
No. Portrait Chief of the Headquarters of the UPR Took office Left office Time in office
1
Vasyl Tyutyunnyk [uk]
Tyutyunnyk, VasylEnsign general
Vasyl Tyutyunnyk [uk]
(1890–1919)		19198 September 19198 days
2
Volodymyr Sinclair
Sinclair, VolodymyrColonel
Volodymyr Sinclair
(1887–1919)		8 September 191926 September 191918 days
General Staff of UPR
No. Portrait Chief of the General Staff of UPR Took office Left office Time in office
1
Volodymyr Sinclair
Sinclair, VolodymyrColonel
Volodymyr Sinclair
(1887–1919)		28 October 191819 August 19212 years, 295 days
2
Vsevolod Petriv
Petriv, VsevolodColonel
Vsevolod Petriv
(1883–1948)		19 August 1921June 19228 days

West Ukrainian National Republic[edit]

Ukrainian Galician Army
No. Portrait Supreme Commander of the Ukrainian Galician Army Took office Left office Time in office
1
Dmytro Vitovsky
Vitovsky, DmytroColonel
Dmytro Vitovsky
(1887–1919)		28 October 19185 November 19188 days
2
Hryhoriy Kossak [uk]
Kossak, HryhoriyColonel
Hryhoriy Kossak [uk]
(1882–1939)		5 November 19189 November 19184 days
3
Hnat Stefaniv
Stefaniv, HnatColonel
Hnat Stefaniv
(1895–1949)		9 November 191810 December 191831 days
4
Mykhailo Omelianovych-Pavlenko
Omelianovych-Pavlenko, MykhailoGeneral
Mykhailo Omelianovych-Pavlenko
(1878–1952)		10 December 19189 June 1919181 days
5
Oleksandr Hrekov
Hrekov, OleksanderGeneral
Oleksandr Hrekov
(1875–1958)
[21]		9 June 19195 July 191926 days
6
Myron Tarnavsky
Tarnavsky, MyronGeneral
Myron Tarnavsky
(1869–1938)		5 July 19197 November 1919125 days
7
Osyp Mykyta [uk]
Mykyta, OsypGeneral
Osyp Mykyta [uk]
(1871–1920)		7 November 191912 February 192097 days
General Bulawa

General Bulawa was a name of the General Staff of Ukraine in 1917–1920.[22]

No. Portrait Chief of the General Bulawa Took office Left office Time in office
1
Mykola Marynovych [uk]
Marynovych, MykolaColonel
Mykola Marynovych [uk]
(1861–1944)		1 November 19185 November 19184 days
2
Semen Goruk
Goruk, SemenMajor
Semen Goruk
(1873–1920)		6 November 191810 December 191835 days
3
Yevhen Myshkovskyi [uk]
Myshkovskyi, YevhenEnsign general
Yevhen Myshkovskyi [uk]
(1882–1920)		10 December 19187 February 191958 days
4
Viktor Kurmanovych
Kurmanovych, ViktorGeneral
Viktor Kurmanovych
(1876–1945)		8 February 19196 June 1919118 days
5
Karl Stipsitz-Tarnawa [uk]
Stipsitz-Tarnawa, KarlColonel
Karl Stipsitz-Tarnawa [uk]
(1883–1954)		8 June 19195 July 191927 days
6
Alfred Shamanek [uk]
Shamanek, AlfredColonel
Alfred Shamanek [uk]
(1883–1920)		5 July 19197 November 1919125 days
7
Gustav Ziritz [uk]
Ziritz, GustavMajor general
Gustav Ziritz [uk]
(1872–1920)		8 November 191910 February 192094 days

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Tendered resignation in early October.
  2. ^ Submitted a letter of resignation on 29 May 2010.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Dmytro Basmat (9 February 2024). "Zelensky announces new chief of general staff". The Kyiv Independent. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  2. ^ a b Poroshenko appointed the new chief of General Staff. Ukrayinska Pravda. July 3, 2014
  3. ^ a b c Zelensky appoints Khomchak Chief Commander of Armed Forces, Korniychuk Chief of General Staff, Interfax-Ukraine (28 March 2020)
  4. ^ "Про Положення про Генеральний штаб Збройних Сил України" [About the Regulations on the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine] (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 2011-10-03. Retrieved 2008-02-16.
  5. ^ "Poltorak quits military service, continues to lead Defense ministry as civilian – Poroshenko". UNIAN. 13 October 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  6. ^ Viktor Chechevatov Archived 2007-03-20 at the Wayback Machine (in English)
  7. ^ a b c d e f g "Ministry of Defense' Army of Ukraine magazine" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-18. Retrieved 2008-02-20.
  8. ^ Новини Управління Прес-служби МО
  9. ^ "Zatynaiko appointed head of Ukraine's General Staff," Interfax, 13 August 2002
  10. ^ a b ru:Педченко, Григорий Николаевич, Kyiv Post (November 14, 2009)
  11. ^ Chief of General Staff Svyda resigns, Kyiv Post (May 29, 2010)
  12. ^ By the Presidential decree №656/2010
  13. ^ a b Yanukovych reshuffles leadership of defense ministry, army, Kyiv Post (18 February 2012)
  14. ^ a b President appoints new Chief of General Staff of Ukraine Archived January 28, 2014, at the Wayback Machine, President.gov.ua (18 February 2012)
  15. ^ "Янукович сменил главнокомандующего Вооруженных сил". 19 February 2014.
  16. ^ Ilyin dismissed as head of Ukraine's General Staff, commander-in-chief of Ukrainian Armed Forces, Interfax-Ukraine (28 February 2014)
  17. ^ Mykhailo Kutsyn appointed chief of general staff - commander-in-chief of Ukrainian army, Interfax-Ukraine (28 February 2014)
  18. ^ a b "President Zelensky appoints new chief of Ukrainian army's general staff". UNIAN. 21 May 2019. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
  19. ^ "Regarding the change of the Chief of the General Staff of the AFU, the Commander of the Air Assault Troops of the AFU and the Commander of the JFO".
  20. ^ "Ucraina: Zelensky sostituisce anche il capo di stato maggiore" [Ukraine: Zelensky also replaces chief of staff]. rainews.it (in Italian). Rai News 24. 2024-02-10. Retrieved 2024-02-10.
  21. ^ Army of the Ukrainian National Republic
  22. ^ General Bulawa at the Handbook on history of Ukraine
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