President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appointed two of Ukraine’s most celebrated military leaders to oversee the reinforcement of the “fortress belt” of industrialized cities in the Donetsk region, the most fiercely contested sector of the front line.
Denys Prokopenko, commander of the 1st National Guard Azov Corps, and Andrii Biletskyi, commander of the 3rd Army Corps of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, will lead two restructured military groupings tasked with strengthening Ukrainian positions in Donetsk Oblast. Zelenskyy announced the decisions on Tuesday after visiting the frontline alongside Commander-in-Chief Mykhailo Drapatyi.
The president confirmed that Biletskyi received the Gold Star of the Hero of Ukraine during the visit, recognizing his battlefield leadership. Both commanders are veterans of some of the war’s most defining battles and carry the Azov brand that has become synonymous with Ukraine’s elite fighting forces.
The appointment represents a significant shakeup on the Donetsk front, where Russia’s main offensive effort is concentrated on a string of cities that Ukraine calls its “fortress belt.” Moscow’s forces have been grinding through the region for months, seeking to capture the industrial heartland that forms the backbone of Ukraine’s eastern defenses.
Azov veterans step into frontline command
Prokopenko gained international attention for leading the defense of the port city of Mariupol during the first months of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. His Azov regiment held out for weeks inside the Azovstal steel plant before surrendering in May of that year. He was held in Russian captivity until September 21, 2022, as part of a prisoner exchange. Before the war, the Azov unit had been reorganized into the 12th Special Forces Brigade and subsequently expanded into the 1st Azov Corps in 2025.
Biletskyi commanded the Azov Special Operations Forces Regiment at the start of the invasion and played a key role in the defense of Kyiv and the liberation of Kyiv Oblast. He later fought in the liberation of Kherson Oblast and in the battles for Avdiivka in Donetsk Oblast. His 3rd Assault Brigade, formed in 2023, grew into the 3rd Army Corps by 2025, reflecting the rapid expansion of Ukraine’s most capable units.
Both formations have been deployed to some of the most heavily contested sectors of the Donetsk front, including areas around Dobropillia and Lyman. Lyman, a city of roughly 20,000 pre-war residents in northern Donetsk Oblast, has been a frontline hotspot for years, with fighting concentrated in the Serebrianskyi Forest to the east of the city.
Zaporizhzhia and deep-strike plans discussed
The visit to the Oleksandrivka sector also included meetings with Air Assault Forces Commander Oleh Apostol, Unmanned Systems Forces Commander Robert Brovdi, and Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration officials. Zelenskyy said that plans are in place to expand the deployment of ground robotic systems on the Zaporizhzhia front and increase production and procurement of these assets.
The president also announced a more systematic approach to mid-range strikes, saying he had agreed on the necessary personnel decisions with Defense Minister Yevhen Khmara and the commander-in-chief. Zelenskyy noted that protection for Zaporizhzhia and the surrounding region should be strengthened, as the southeastern city faces constant Russian air attacks and lies about 70 kilometers from the front line.
The command shakeup follows the dismissal of former Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi on July 21, after widespread criticism of his management style. Syrskyi, born in Soviet Russia, led the defense of Kyiv and the Kharkiv counteroffensive in 2022. But his tenure as commander-in-chief was marred by controversy over high casualty rates, with critics accusing him of prioritizing orders “at any cost” over preserving soldiers’ lives. The so-called “Syrsky regiments” that expanded under his watch drew particular criticism for costly head-on advances.
Drapatyi, who replaced Syrskyi, has moved quickly to reorganize the command structure on the Donetsk front. The appointment of Prokopenko and Biletskyi, both of whom enjoy strong support among rank-and-file soldiers, signals a shift toward battle-tested commanders with direct frontline experience rather than the more bureaucratic approach associated with the previous leadership.
Critical moment on multiple fronts
The appointments come at a critical moment. Russia is weighing a potential escalation of missile attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities after peace talks hit a dead end, according to Bloomberg. Meanwhile, Ukraine continues to strike deep inside Russian territory, targeting oil refineries, logistics hubs, and military infrastructure with long-range drones in an expanding economic warfare campaign.
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