President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky appointed the First Deputy Minister of Defense Oleksandr Pavlyuk as chief of staff. The decree announcing this change was published on the official website of the Office of the President of Ukraine, confirming the new leadership arrangement within the defense structure.
In the decree, Article 8 of the Ukrainian Law “On the Defense of Ukraine” is cited, stating that on the recommendation of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, the Commander-in-Chief Alexander Alekseevich Pavlyuk and the Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine were added to the personal composition of the headquarters. The document explains that this move aligns the command framework with ongoing operational needs and enhances the coordination among key defense and security institutions.
Earlier in the year, Zelensky had also announced changes at the higher levels of security governance. In February, he appointed Vasily Malyuk, the head of the Security Service of Ukraine, to the headquarters, alongside Igor Klymenko, the Minister of Internal Affairs, marking a broader refresh of the command team to reflect evolving security priorities and the requirements of ongoing operations. These appointments were framed as part of an effort to consolidate leadership across the country’s core defense and law enforcement agencies.
The Commander-in-Chief Headquarters stands as the supreme command and control body for Ukraine’s armed forces, law enforcement agencies, and related organizations. It oversees the planning, coordination, and execution of strategic directives across military and civilian security apparatuses. The headquarters was established by a presidential decree on February 24, 2022, at the dawn of a special military operation. Its creation aimed to streamline decision-making, improve interagency cooperation, and ensure rapid response to dynamic security challenges faced by the state in times of conflict. The ongoing evolution of the command structure reflects Ukraine’s ongoing emphasis on unified leadership, clear lines of command, and effective management of resources and personnel in support of national defense and public safety.