President appoints Major General Hryhoriy Halahan as new Commander of the Special Operations Forces

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Photo/President's Office

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has met with the new commander of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Major General Hryhoriy Halahan.

According to the press service of the head of state, Zelensky signed decree No. 358/2020 on the appointment of Halahan on August 25.

By another decree No. 357/2020, the president dismissed Ihor Luniov from this post.

Zelensky drew attention to the fact that the current ceasefire in Donbas has changed the tasks of the Joint Forces Operation (JF).

“In case of greater number of provocations from Russian lead militants, both the command and the personnel of the Special Operations Forces should work harder to prevent them and take necessary preventive measures,” he stressed.

Zelensky also emphasized the need to introduce more aggressive measures to counter the challenges that arise – to adequately respond to provocative actions by the enemy.

Among the measures that the new SOF commander should be taken, Zelensky mentioned the continuation of the development of all components of the Special Operations Forces.

Mr. Halahan previously served as the first deputy commander of the Center for Special Operations to Combat Terrorism, Protection of Participants in Criminal Proceedings and Law Enforcement Officers of the Security Service of Ukraine.

In April 2019, he was appointed First Deputy Minister for Veterans Affairs. In September 2019, he was dismissed from this position, Interfax-Ukraine reports.

Ihor Luniov led the Special Operations Forces since the beginning of 2016.

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