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Joint Forces Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Flag of the Joint Forces Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: green, blue and black fields, a golden mace and two crossed sabres, inscription in Ukrainian
The JFC commands groupings of troops placed under it to conduct operations

The Joint Forces Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (JFC AFU) is a strategic-level military command and control body. On the orders of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, it assumes command of troops and forces to conduct operations.

Functions of the JFC

The Joint Forces Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine:

  • takes part in ensuring national security and defence;
  • implements martial law and state of emergency measures;
  • plans the employment of, and commands, the groupings of troops (forces) placed under its command;
  • oversees the development of combat capabilities of troops (forces) to be placed under the Joint Forces Command;
  • organizes manning of directly subordinate units.

Joint Forces Task Force (JFTF): composition and area of responsibility

The Joint Forces Command currently commands the Joint Forces Task Force (JFTF). The JFTF consists of three army corps, a National Guard of Ukraine corps and two tactical groups. Units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard of Ukraine and the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine within the JFTF are responsible for the defence of Kharkiv Oblast and the south-eastern part of Sumy Oblast.

History of the JFC: from the Joint Forces Operation to the JFTF

In 2018, the Anti-Terrorist Operation in eastern Ukraine was transformed into the Joint Forces Operation (JFO), and command passed from the Security Service of Ukraine to the Joint Operational Headquarters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (the Joint Forces Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine since 2020).

The Command was established in 2019, when authority within the Armed Forces was divided to improve the command and control system. The General Staff became responsible for planning, the commands of the services and separate branches for force generation and sustainment, and the Joint Forces Command for direct force employment.

After the full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, the units that had taken part in the Joint Forces Operation formed the Joint Forces Task Force. It included the operational-tactical task forces “East” and “North” and directly subordinate units. In June 2022, the Joint Forces were reorganized into several directly subordinate operational-tactical task forces.

From March 2024 to October 2025, the Joint Forces Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine commanded the Operational-Strategic Task Force (OSTF) “Khortytsia” (renamed OSTF “Dnipro” in August 2025).

In October 2025, a new Joint Forces Task Force was formed under the authority of the Joint Forces Command. The Command’s area of responsibility now covers Kharkiv Oblast and adjacent territories.

Official Joint Forces Command resources


Updates on the work of the Joint Forces Command and the forces under its authority are posted on the Command’s official website and Facebook pages.