President Volodymyr Zelensky has appointed Brigadier General Sviatoslav Zaits as the new commander of Ukraine’s Ground Forces, replacing Major General Hennadiy Shapovalov. The announcement was made on September 2, 2026, through two presidential decrees, which did not specify the reasons behind this leadership change.
The decrees, numbered 852/2026 and 853/2026, were published on the official website of the presidency. The appointment decree explicitly states, “Appoint Sviatoslav Anatoliyovych Zaits commander of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.” The separate decree dismissed Shapovalov from his position, but did not indicate a new role for him.
Background of Sviatoslav Zaits
Brigadier General Zaits is a seasoned veteran of Ukraine’s Air Assault Forces, having previously commanded the 20th Army Corps, which played a crucial role in defending the Dnipropetrovsk region. He took command of the corps in April 2026, following his tenure as chief of staff and deputy commander of the 8th Air Assault Corps.
During a visit to the 20th Army Corps command post in May, President Zelensky promoted Zaits to brigadier general. At that time, Zaits provided the president with insights on the battlefield situation and highlighted the corps’ urgent need for drones and other military equipment.
In 2014, Zaits was a captain leading a reconnaissance company within the 25th Airborne Brigade. His unit was stationed in Crimea when Russian forces began their occupation. Despite being surrounded for nearly a month, Zaits and his men refused to surrender, ultimately withdrawing with their equipment back to mainland Ukraine.
Successor to Shapovalov
Major General Hennadiy Shapovalov had been at the helm of Ukraine’s Ground Forces since June 19, 2025. Prior to this role, he represented Ukraine at NATO’s Security Assistance and Training headquarters in Wiesbaden, Germany, focusing on logistics and training for Ukrainian forces. His previous commands included Operational Command South and the Tavria grouping of forces, which operated in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.
