Ukrainian military chooses new leader for Ground Forces Academy
Photo: Colonel Roman Kachur (V_Zelenskiy_official)
Colonel Roman Kachur will lead the National Academy of Ground Forces, which was named after Hetman Sahaidachny. The decision was made based on a survey of military personnel conducted in the Army+" application, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Minister of Defense of Ukraine Rustem Umerov.
Zelenskyy announced that the "Army+" app survey on the new head of the National Academy of Ground Forces named after Hetman Sahaidachny has been completed.
"It is important that this decision is made together with our military," the president explained.
He noted that the Commander-in-Chief and the Commander of the Ground Forces proposed five candidates:
- Brigadier Generals Serhiy Baranov and Mykhailo Sydorenko,
- Colonels Yevhen Lasiichuk, Oleksandr Bakulin, and Roman Kachur.
According to Zelenskyy, Colonel Roman Kachur received the most votes.
"He knows the front well; he commanded the 55th Separate Artillery Brigade. I spoke with Colonel Kachur – he has a vision of what needs to be changed in military education and specifically in the National Academy of Ground Forces," the president said.
Zelenskyy stated that he had already tasked Kachur with presenting the planned changes in the academy to the public and conducting a full audit of its activities, including funding, the training of cadets, and the staff.
"I instructed the Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Rustem Umerov, to appoint Colonel Kachur as the head of the academy," he added.
At the same time, Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine needs the highest-quality training for its soldiers and officers, based on the experience of this war and the heroism of Ukrainian fighters on the front lines.
"The Ukrainian army needs leaders at the tactical level – strong sergeants, strong lieutenants. I thank all our soldiers who participated in the survey. We will continue to involve our people in making state decisions through 'Army+' and other digital tools of our state," the head of state concluded.
Rustem Umerov stated that, on the president’s instructions, he had already signed the order appointing Colonel Kachur to this position.
According to the Minister, Kachur's key tasks include:
- Conducting a full audit of the Academy's operations.
- Implementing reforms in military education.
- Improving the quality of training for soldiers, officers, and sergeants, which is critically important for the Ukrainian military.
Background
In December of last year, the head of the National Academy of Ground Forces, Pavlo Tkachuk, was dismissed from his position. The relevant order was signed by Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov. Tkachuk had led the National Academy of Ground Forces named after Hetman Petro Sahaidachny since 2002.
Last year, the media reported complaints from cadets of the academy about bullying, humiliation, and harassment. The Ground Forces responded to the allegations, announcing an investigation into the state of affairs at the academy.
In June, the State Bureau of Investigation charged a course leader at the Ground Forces Academy in Lviv with assaulting and humiliating cadets.
