Major General Nikolyuk resigns as commander of the “East” group

Major General Viktor Nikolyuk reported that he is leaving the position of commander of the “East” Group of Forces, which he has held since April 2026.

He reported this on Facebook.

"When an important stage in life or work comes to an end, it is customary in our society to sum up. Today I will do this for the period of time when I led the Slavyansk, Kramatorsk, Kostyantynivka, Ocheretyne, and Pokrovsk directions of the front," Nikolyuk wrote.

He noted that he is handing over to his successor "a fully combat-ready group capable of steadily conducting active defensive operations".

Nikolyuk said that during his command, the offensive of the Russian occupation forces in the Oleksandrivka direction was restrained. He also said that joint efforts were able to block the enemy in Kostyantynivka.

"In the Slovyansk and Kramatorsk directions, we managed to build a stable echeloned defense with the reinforcement of units holding positions on the front line, and create conditions for the further destruction of the infiltrated enemy," the major general wrote.

He added that he faces "new challenges and tasks that will be determined by the higher military leadership."

• In 2021-2023, Nikolyuk was the commander of the troops of the Operational Command "North". In 2022, he commanded the defense of Chernihiv, took direct part in the battles. He has the title of Hero of Ukraine. In June 2025, he became the commander of the Operational Tactical Group "Donetsk".
• In late August, President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that two renewed groups of the Defense Forces would strengthen positions in the Donetsk region. They were led by the commander of the 1st Corps of the “Azov” National Guard Denys Prokopenko and the commander of the 3rd Army Corps Andriy Biletsky.

For more news and in-depth stories from Ukraine, please follow us on X.