Who is Marine General Hnatov, who Zelenskyy appointed after unexpectedly dismissing Marine General Sodol?

The politician, who is often at the front, was afraid that after "all these hypes on Facebook [about Sodol], they will appoint someone who can be manipulated," he said.

He viewed Hnatov's appointment with relief.

“He is not the kind of person [to be manipulated or controlled]. This is the right appointment, he is authoritative," Kostenko said.

Military expert Pavlo Narozhny reiterated the sentiment to NV.

"There is no doubt about Hnatov's professionalism because he led serious combat operations during a full-scale invasion."

Reviews of the new Joint Forces commander are that he is rather tough, but also an advanced and intelligent officer, the expert added.

Marine forever

Hnatov went through every stage of a military career.

He graduated from the Kharkiv Institute of Tank Troops in 2001.

He rose to the position of Chief of Staff of the 36th Separate Marine Brigade after 15 years of service, and in 2018 became its head.

The transformation of a graduate of the tank institute into a marine brigade commander seems logical because Hnatov was one of the officers who formed units of the updated marines from the units that left Crimea after Russia's occupation of the peninsula.

"Our basis is the following: 'Once a marine, always a marine,'" Hnatov said in 2019, in his only interview that NV managed to find.

"This is a state of mind, a vocation: in your soul, you are forever a marine. Hence our motto: 'Always faithful' [Semper fidelis]. First of all, by your convictions, calling."

The marine general met the beginning of the war in Kyiv, where he was directly subordinate to the head of the capital's defense, Kostenko recalled.

"As far as I remember, they (Hnatov and Syrskyi) worked directly," Kostenko said.

"Hnatov was responsible for a certain direction, he reported to Syrskyi. That's why their path goes from the defense of Kyiv."

Later in 2022, the general headed the staff and became the deputy commander of the troops of Operational Command South. He also began to manage the defense of Mykolaiv, replacing famous general Dmytro Marchenko.

Hnatov next prepared an operation to liberate Kherson Oblast.

In particular, he organized the forging of the Inhulets River in Kherson Oblast, said Kostenko, who frequently visited the south during that time.

Hnatov led the defense of Bakhmut in the spring of 2023, which was part of the area of ​​responsibility of the Khortytsia Operational Group under the command of Syrskyi.

This operation received mixed reviews from the military and experts.

Some questioned the expediency of losing so many forces to defend a destroyed city. Others claimed that the long defense of the city effectively neutralized the Wagner PMC mercenaries and prevented Russia from diverting those combat units elsewhere.

His subordinates then fought a defensive battle in Bakhmut as part of the 'Kholodnyi Yar' 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade, unit commander Pavlo Palisa told NV in April.

Before being replaced by Hnatov, the group was commanded by General Volodymyr Mironyuk.

"We discussed all the tactical points - maneuvers by units, fire maneuvers - with them," Palisa said.

"We must give credit: there was a very adequate and very responsible attitude to what was happening, with knowledge of both the area and the situation."

Hnatov's last position before being appointed as the Joint Forces commander was as Operational Command East head.

One in the field is not a commander

Former spokesperson of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Vladyslav Seleznyov has known Hnatov since he was a lieutenant, as both served in units of the Coast Guard of Ukraine's Navy.

"I witnessed his growth," Seleznyov told Radio NV.

"A decent, professional, patriotic officer who repeatedly proved his high command and leadership qualities. Therefore, I think that the Ukrainian Armed Forces will only benefit from this appointment."

It will be possible to evaluate Hnatov in his new position based on his management results, he said.

"I have no doubt that Andriy Hnatov will cope with this rather serious mission."

Narozhnyi notes that Hnatov came at a very difficult time — at the height of the Russian offensive campaign when Ukrainian troops are in "defense along the entire front."

"We are not attacking anywhere, we are defending," he said.

"Our task now is to hold the front. Whether he will hold the front is the main question."

The new commander is an important component of the defense, but resources, capabilities and personnel are much more important, Kostenko said.

"We can now call on [Dwight] Eisenhower [the 34th US President and an essential WWII commander] or someone else, but if we do not have enough shells, artillery, do not have air supremacy, then we shouldn't expect some important strategic victories," Kostenko said.

"We have to understand this because we somehow have very high and exacting demands on the figure."

Kostenko expects the new commander of the Joint Forces to stabilize the front "with the forces and means that are available" and that Hnatov will "restore the authority of the command", which had been "shaken," including by civil society and "hype on Facebook".

Hnatov, together with Zelenskyy and Syrskyi, must react quickly to events, Kostenko said.

They must also prevent civil society representatives and military personnel from being forced to make public statements saying that "they don't like their command."