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The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is the central military command and control body. It is responsible for planning the national defense, strategic planning of the use of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and specific forces and assets of other components of the Defence Forces, coordination and control over the performance of defense-related tasks by governmental authorities, local self-governing bodies, and Defense Forces within the scope established by the laws of Ukraine and acts of the President of Ukraine and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. 

The General Staff serves as the operational entity of the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief.   

Core responsibilities: 

  • Active role in the development and implementation of state policy related to the defense sector, the strategic framework for military security, and defense planning of measures for the development of the Armed Forces of Ukraine; 

  • Planning of the national defense within the specified scope of responsibilities, coordination and control over the fulfillment of defense tasks by executive authorities, local self-government bodies, and other components of the Defense Forces; 

  • Strategic planning of the use of the Armed Forces and other components of the Defence Forces; 

  • Arranging the training for the Armed Forces to carry out their assigned duties, coordination and control of training of other components of the Defense Forces to perform tasks on national defense; 

  • Planning of measures aimed at development, technical equipping, comprehensive provision and reinforcement of the capabilities of the Armed Forces, supervision of the operational readiness to carry out national defense duties of the Armed Forces and other components of the Defence Forces, which are planned to be earmarked to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. 

The General Staff is headed by the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, whose appointment and dismissal are executed by the President of Ukraine upon the proposal of the Minister of Defense of Ukraine. 

The Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.  

The Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is supported by deputies, whose appointments and dismissals adhere to the formal procedures in place. 

The principal legal framework governing the functions of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is the Regulation on the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.