| Oleksandr Syrskyi | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Native name | Олександр Станіславович Сирський |
| Birth name | Oleksandr Stanislavovych Syrskyi |
| Born | 26 July 1965 |
| Place of birth | Novinki, Vladimir Oblast, Russian SFSR, USSR (now Russia) |
| Allegiance |
|
| Service/branch |
 Ukraine Army |
| Years of service | 1986–present |
| Rank | Colonel general |
| Commands held | Ukrainian Ground Forces, 2019– |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards |
|
Oleksandr Stanislavovych Syrskyi (Ukrainian: Олександр Станіславович Сирський; born 26 July 1965) is a Ukrainian military officer. Holding the rank of colonel general, he has been the commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces since 2019. Previously, he was the commander of the Joint Forces Operation from May to August 2019.
During the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Syrskyi commanded the defence of Kyiv. In September 2022, he commanded the Kharkiv counteroffensive.[1]
Biography[]
Syrskyi was born in 1965 in Vladimir, Russian SFSR, then in the Soviet Union.[2]
Syrskyi graduated from the Moscow Higher Military Command School, the Soviet Union’s leading higher military educational institution.[3] Before the war in Donbass in the 2010s, he commanded the 72nd Mechanized Brigade and was promoted to major-general.[citation needed]
Olexandr Syrskyi and Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov, January 2023
As of 2013, he was the First Deputy Chief of the Main Command Center of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and was involved in the then processes of cooperation with NATO. In November 2013, Syrskyi, on behalf of the Ministry of Defense, discussed changes to the Ukrainian army in accordance with NATO standards at NATO headquarters.[citation needed]
War in Donbas[]
With the beginning of the war in Eastern Ukraine, he was the chief of staff of anti-terrorist operations.[4]
The "Bars" group formed by Sirsky covered the withdrawal of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from Debaltseve
In particular, he was one of the chief commanders of the anti-terrorist operation forces during the battle of Debaltseve in the winter of 2015, together with the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Viktor Muzhenko they went to the city itself. He led the battles in Vuhlehirsk, the village of Ridkodub and an unsuccessful attempt to recapture Lohvynove. He also coordinated the withdrawal of the Ukrainian military from Debaltseve.[5] Under his leadership, possible routes of crossing the Karapulka River were blown up.
Oleksandr Syrskyi was awarded the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky III degree and later received the rank of lieutenant-general due to his achievement during the battle of Debaltseve.[6][7]
Oleksandr Syrskyi visiting personnel in hospital
In 2016, he headed the Joint Operational Headquarters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which coordinates the operational actions of various Ukrainian security forces in the Donbas. In 2017, he was the commander of the entire Anti-Terrorist Operation in eastern Ukraine. It was later replaced by the Joint Forces Operation.[8][9]
From 6 May to 5 August 2019 he was the commander of the Joint Operational Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.[10][11]
Since 5 August 2019, Syrskyi has been the Commander of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.[12][13] On 23 August 2020, he was promoted to the rank of colonel general.[14] The rank is no longer awarded in the Ukrainian army since 1 October 2020, but Syrskyi retained it, being at this moment the only Ukrainian military officer left in active service to hold this particular rank.[citation needed]
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine[]
During the Russian Invasion of Ukraine, Syrskyi initially organised and led the defense of Kyiv.[15]
With Valerii Zaluzhnyi during the battle for Kyiv, 2022
Oleksandr Syrskyi manages the defense of Kyiv
Olexandr Syrskyi and defenders of Kyiv
In April 2022, Syrskyi was given the Hero of Ukraine award for his efforts. In September 2022, media reported that Syrskyi is the architect behind the successful Kharkiv counteroffensive.[16][17] Syrskyi has been described as "the most successful general of the 21st century so far".[18]
Awards[]
Volodymyr Zelenskyy awards Oleksandr Syrskyi with the Cross of Combat Merit in the Verkhovna Rada
- Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky III degree (14 March 2015)[19]
- Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky II degree (18 March 2022)[20]
- Hero of Ukraine (5 April 2022)[21]
- Cross of Military Merit (27 July 2022)[22]
- Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky I degree (11 December 2022)[23]
References[]
- ↑ Ministry of Defence of Ukraine [DefenceU] (10 September 2022). "[... The Commander of Ukrainian Land Forces, Hero of Ukraine, Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi is leading the Ukrainian offensive in this sector. [...]"]. https://twitter.com/DefenceU/status/1568576718692093952.
- ↑ "Who is Oleksandr Syrsky, the head of Ukraine’s ground forces?". The Economist. 8 June 2013. https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2023/06/08/who-is-oleksandr-syrsky-the-head-of-ukraines-ground-forces.
- ↑ ""Anyone who underestimates Russia is headed for defeat"". 15 December 2022. https://www.economist.com/syrsky-interview.
- ↑ "Порошенко призначив Олександра Сирського новим командувачем ООС: що про нього відомо" (in uk). https://24tv.ua/oleksandr_sirskiy_noviy_komanduvach_oos_biografiya_sirskogo_n1149628.
- ↑ "Новий командир на Донбасі: що відомо про генерала Сирського" (in uk). BBC News Україна. https://www.bbc.com/ukrainian/news-48175947.
- ↑ "УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №144/2015" (in uk). https://www.president.gov.ua/documents/1442015-18629.
- ↑ "Новий командир на Донбасі: що відомо про генерала Сирського" (in uk). BBC News Україна. https://www.bbc.com/ukrainian/news-48175947.
- ↑ "Операцію Об'єднаних сил замість Наєва очолив Сирський – Новинарня" (in uk). 6 May 2019. https://novynarnia.com/2019/05/06/zamist-nayeva-ocholiv-sirskiiy/.
- ↑ "Призначення нового командуючого ООС генерала Сирського: хто він і що це означає?" (in uk). https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-polytics/2695548-priznacenna-novogo-komanduucogo-oos-generala-sirskogo-hto-vin-i-so-ce-oznacae.html.
- ↑ "УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №194/2019" (in uk). https://www.president.gov.ua/documents/1942019-26702.
- ↑ Свобода, Радіо (6 May 2019). "Порошенко призначив новим командувачем Об'єднаних сил Олександра Сирського" (in uk). https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/news-operatsiya-oos-syrskyi/29923991.html.
- ↑ "УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №578/2019" (in uk). https://www.president.gov.ua/documents/5782019-28925.
- ↑ "Олександр Сирський, командувач Сухопутних військ ЗСУ, генерал-полковник" (in uk). https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-ato/3300714-oleksandr-sirskij-komanduvac-suhoputnih-vijsk-zsu-generalpolkovnik.html.
- ↑ "УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №346/2020" (in uk). https://www.president.gov.ua/documents/3462020-34785.
- ↑ Sonne, Paul; Khurshudyan, Isabelle (24 August 2022). "Battle for Kyiv: Ukrainian valor, Russian blunders combined to save the capital". https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/interactive/2022/kyiv-battle-ukraine-survival/.
- ↑ "Oleksandr Syrskyi, o coronel-general que está a orquestrar a contraofensiva na Ucrânia". https://observador.pt/2022/09/11/oleksandr-syrskyi-o-coronel-general-que-esta-a-orquestrar-a-contraofensiva-na-ucrania.
- ↑ "Russia Confirms Flight of Troops from Ukraine's Kharkiv Area". https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-09-10/russian-forces-flee-as-ukrainian-army-makes-swift-eastern-push.
- ↑ Ledwidge, Frank (13 September 2022). "Kharkiv offensive has shown the west that Ukraine can win". https://theconversation.com/kharkiv-offensive-has-shown-the-west-that-ukraine-can-win-190501.
- ↑ "УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №144/2015" (in uk). https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/144/2015#Text.
- ↑ "УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №145/2022" (in uk). https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/145/2022#Text.
- ↑ "УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №213/2022" (in uk). https://www.president.gov.ua/documents/5332022-42029.
- ↑ "УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №533/2022" (in uk). https://www.president.gov.ua/documents/5332022-43469.
- ↑ "УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №861/2022" (in uk). https://www.president.gov.ua/documents/8612022-45249.
External links[]
- General Syrskyi in liberated Balaklia in Kharkiv Oblast on YouTube (10 September 2022)
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