Chief of the General Staff (Ukraine)

Chief of the General Staff
Начальник Генерального штабу
Sleeve patch of the General Staff
Ensign of the Chief of the General Staff
Incumbent
Major General Andrii Hnatov
since 16 March 2025[1]
Ministry of Defence
TypeChief of defence
(till 28 March 2020)[2]
Administering and strategizing (since 28 March 2020).[3]
Member ofthe General Staff
Reports toCommander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces
ResidenceKyiv
NominatorMinister of Defence
AppointerPresident of Ukraine
Term lengthnon-fixed
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, abbr. Ukrainian: НГШ, romanized: NHSh), or CGS, 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.[4]

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.[2] Previously the Chief of the General Staff also served as the Commander-in-Chief when a civilian was the Minister of Defense[5] (before 1 January 2019 it was not a requirement that the Minister of Defense be a civilian).[6]

The current Chief of the General Staff is Andrii Hnatov.

Chiefs of General Staff

Armed Forces of Ukraine

The office created upon the reorganization of the Soviet Kyiv Military District when its head, Colonel General Viktor Chechevatov,[7] 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.
–
Zhyvytsia, GeorgiyLieutenant General
Georgiy Zhyvytsia
(1937–2015)
Acting		23 December 19914 June 1992164 days Ukrainian Ground Forces[8]
1
Sobkov, VasylLieutenant General
Vasyl Sobkov
(1944–2020)		4 June 199225 September 1992113 days Ukrainian Ground Forces.
–
Bizhan, IvanLieutenant General
Ivan Bizhan
(born 1941)
Acting		25 September 199224 March 1993180 days Ukrainian Ground Forces.
2
Lopata, AnatoliyColonel General
Anatoliy Lopata
(born 1940)		24 March 199310 February 19962 years, 323 days Ukrainian Ground Forces[8][9]
3
Zatynaiko, OleksandrColonel General
Oleksandr Zatynaiko
(born 1949)		12 March 199630 September 19982 years, 202 days Ukrainian Ground Forces[8]
4
Shkidchenko, VolodymyrGeneral of Army of Ukraine
Volodymyr Shkidchenko
(born 1948)		1 October 199813 November 20013 years, 43 days Ukrainian Ground Forces[8]
–
Palchuk, MykolaLieutenant General
Mykola Palchuk
(1945–2016)
Acting		13 November 200127 November 200114 days Ukrainian Ground Forces.
5
Shulyak, PetroColonel General
Petro Shulyak
(born 1945)		27 November 200128 July 2002223 days Ukrainian Ground Forces[8]
(3)
Zatynaiko, OleksandrColonel General
Oleksandr Zatynaiko
(born 1949)		13 August 20023 June 20041 year, 295 days Ukrainian Ground Forces[8][10]
6
Kirichenko, SerhiyGeneral of Army of Ukraine
Serhiy Kyrychenko
(born 1952)		19 July 200418 November 2009
[a]		7 years, 122 days Ukrainian Ground Forces[8][11]
7
Svyda, IvanColonel General
Ivan Svyda
(born 1950)		18 November 200931 May 2010
[b]		194 days Ukrainian Ground Forces[11][12]
8
Pedchenko, HryhoriyColonel General
Hryhoriy Pedchenko
(born 1955)		31 May 201018 February 20121 year, 263 days Ukrainian Ground Forces[13][14][15]
9
Zamana, VolodymyrLieutenant General
Volodymyr Zamana
(born 1959)		18 February 201219 February 20142 years, 1 day Ukrainian Ground Forces[14][15]
10
Ilyin, YuriyAdmiral
Yuriy Ilyin
(born 1962)		19 February 201428 February 20149 days Ukrainian Navy[16][17]
11
Kutsyn, MykhailoLieutenant General
Mykhailo Kutsyn
(born 1957)		28 February 20143 July 2014125 days Ukrainian Ground Forces[18]
12
Muzhenko, ViktorGeneral of the Army of Ukraine
Viktor Muzhenko
(born 1961)		3 July 201421 May 20194 years, 322 days Ukrainian Ground Forces[4][19]
13
Khomchak, RuslanLieutenant General
Ruslan Khomchak
(born 1967)		21 May 201928 March 2020312 days Ukrainian Ground Forces[19][2]
14
Korniychuk, SerhiyLieutenant General
Serhiy Korniychuk
(born 1965)		28 March 202028 July 20211 year, 122 days Ukrainian Ground Forces[2]
15
Shaptala, SerhiyLieutenant General
Serhiy Shaptala
(born 1973)		28 July 20219 February 20242 years, 196 days Ukrainian Ground Forces[20]
16
Barhylevych, AnatoliyLieutenant General
Anatoliy Barhylevych
(born 1969)		9 February 202416 March 20251 year, 35 days Ukrainian Ground Forces[21]
17
Hnatov, AndriiMajor General
Andrii Hnatov		16 March 2025Incumbent117 days Ukrainian Marine Corps[22]

Historical offices

Ukrainian People's Republic

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

West Ukrainian National Republic

Ukrainian Galician Army
No. Portrait Supreme Commander of the Ukrainian Galician Army Took office Left office Time in office
1
Vitovsky, DmytroColonel
Dmytro Vitovsky
(1887–1919)		28 October 19185 November 19188 days
2
Kossak, HryhoriyColonel
Hryhoriy Kossak
(1882–1939)		5 November 19189 November 19184 days
3
Stefaniv, HnatColonel
Hnat Stefaniv
(1895–1949)		9 November 191810 December 191831 days
4
Omelianovych-Pavlenko, MykhailoGeneral
Mykhailo Omelianovych-Pavlenko
(1878–1952)		10 December 19189 June 1919181 days
5
Hrekov, OleksanderGeneral
Oleksandr Hrekov
(1875–1958)
[23]		9 June 19195 July 191926 days
6
Tarnavsky, MyronGeneral
Myron Tarnavsky
(1869–1938)		5 July 19197 November 1919125 days
7
Mykytka, OsypGeneral
Osyp Mykytka
(1871–1920)		7 November 191912 February 192097 days
General Bulawa

General Bulawa was a name of the General Staff of Ukraine in 1917–1920.[24]

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

Notes

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

References

  1. ^ Dmytro Basmat (9 February 2024). "Zelensky announces new chief of general staff". The Kyiv Independent. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d Zelensky appoints Khomchak Chief Commander of Armed Forces, Korniychuk Chief of General Staff, Interfax-Ukraine (28 March 2020)
  3. ^ "Executive Order No.123/2020 of the President "Питання Головнокомандувача Збройних Сил України". Офіційний вебпортал парламенту України (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2022-04-16.
  4. ^ a b Poroshenko appointed the new chief of General Staff. Ukrayinska Pravda. July 3, 2014
  5. ^ "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.
  6. ^ "Poltorak quits military service, continues to lead Defense ministry as civilian – Poroshenko". UNIAN. 13 October 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  7. ^ Viktor Chechevatov Archived 2007-03-20 at the Wayback Machine (in English)
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ Новини Управління Прес-служби МО
  10. ^ "Zatynaiko appointed head of Ukraine's General Staff," Interfax, 13 August 2002
  11. ^ a b ru:Педченко, Григорий Николаевич, Kyiv Post (November 14, 2009)
  12. ^ Chief of General Staff Svyda resigns, Kyiv Post (May 29, 2010)
  13. ^ By the Presidential decree №656/2010
  14. ^ a b Yanukovych reshuffles leadership of defense ministry, army, Kyiv Post (18 February 2012)
  15. ^ 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)
  16. ^ "Янукович сменил главнокомандующего Вооруженных сил". 19 February 2014.
  17. ^ Ilyin dismissed as head of Ukraine's General Staff, commander-in-chief of Ukrainian Armed Forces, Interfax-Ukraine (28 February 2014)
  18. ^ Mykhailo Kutsyn appointed chief of general staff - commander-in-chief of Ukrainian army, Interfax-Ukraine (28 February 2014)
  19. ^ a b "President Zelensky appoints new chief of Ukrainian army's general staff". UNIAN. 21 May 2019. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
  20. ^ "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".
  21. ^ "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.
  22. ^ "УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №170/2025 Про призначення А.Гнатова начальником Генерального штабу Збройних Сил України" (in Ukrainian). 2025-03-16. Retrieved 2025-03-17.
  23. ^ Army of the Ukrainian National Republic
  24. ^ General Bulawa at the Handbook on history of Ukraine
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