Oleksandr Stanislavovych Syrskyi – Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (2024 – present), Commander of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (2019-2024), Commander of the Joint Operational Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (2019), Colonel General.
Place of Birth, Education
He was born on July 26, 1965 in the village of Novinki, Vladimir region, Russia.
In 1986 he completed his studies at the Moscow Higher Combined Arms Command School. Ten years later, in 1996, he received a diploma with honors, graduating from the Academy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine at the operational and tactical level.
In 2005, he successfully completed his studies at the National Defense Academy of Ukraine, receiving education at the operational and strategic level and receiving a gold medal.
Career
In the 2000s, Syrskyi served as commander of the 72nd separate mechanized brigade, stationed in the city of Bila Tserkva, Kyiv region. During this period, he received the military rank of Major General.
At the beginning of 2014, he served as First Deputy Chief of the Main Command Center of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU). Among his responsibilities was the organization of cooperation with the North Atlantic Alliance (NATO).
With the outbreak of hostilities in the east of Ukraine, he was appointed Chief of Staff of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO).
At the beginning of 2015, he held the position of Chief of Staff and First Deputy Head of the ATO in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
In February of the same year, he directly participated in fierce battles for Debaltseve, Vuhlehirsk and Lohvynove. During the battles for Debaltseve, Syrskyi headed the headquarters of sector “C”. One of his tasks was to command the Bars tactical group, which was entrusted with providing and conducting convoys with ammunition to the positions of Ukrainian troops. Subsequently, the same tactical group successfully organized the withdrawal of Ukrainian units from Debaltseve, ensuring the fulfillment of the strategic task.
In 2016, Syrskyi wasappointed Chief of the Joint Operational Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and from 2017 he headed the ATO until the end of the operation. After that, the ATO was changed to the Joint Forces Operation (JFO).
On May 6, 2019, then-President Petro Poroshenko appointed Syrskyi head of the Joint Operational Headquarters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. However, on August 5, 2019, President Volodymyr Zelensky fired him, appointing Volodymyr Kravchenko to this role. On the same day, Syrskyi was appointed commander of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
On February 8, 2024, Zelenskyy appointed Syrskyi commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Titles and awards
On December 5, 2016, by decree of Poroshenko, Syrsky received the military rank of lieutenant general, and on August 23, 2020, President Zelensky awarded him the rank of colonel general.
On April 5, 2022, Syrskyi was awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine with the Order of the Golden Star.
On July 27, 2022, he was awarded the Cross of Military Merit.
In addition, Syrskyi was awarded a number of Orders of Bohdan Khmelnytsky:
- I degree (December 11, 2022);
- II degree (March 18, 2022);
- III degree (March 14, 2015).
Marital Status
Married to Kharchenko Tamara. The couple has a son Alexander.
