Commanders replaced in three Ukrainian brigades on Kurakhove front
In January, commanders were replaced in three Ukrainian brigades fighting on the Kurakhove front in Donetsk Oblast.
Source: Suspilne and Ukrainska Pravda, citing their sources
Details: The changes affected the 33rd Separate Mechanised Brigade, the 46th Separate Airmobile Brigade and the 35th Marine Brigade.
Colonel Dmytro Paliisa has been appointed commander of the 33rd Separate Mechanised Brigade. Previously, he served as a deputy battalion commander in the 30th Separate Mechanised Brigade, named after Prince Kostiantyn Ostrozkyi. He was one of the youngest battalion commanders in the Ukrainian Armed Forces and took part in the battles for Lyman in Donetsk Oblast, as well as the Kharkiv counteroffensive as part of the 4th Special Purpose Unit of the 71st Separate Ranger Brigade of the Air Assault Forces.
Paliisa is the brother of Pavlo Paliisa, Deputy Head of the Presidential Office. In 2023-2024, he commanded the 93rd Brigade Kholodnyi Yar.
Paliisa replaced Colonel Yurii Hupaliuk, who led the 33rd Brigade in 2024. Hupaliuk has been involved in combat operations in Donetsk Oblast since 2014, including the battles for the cities of Sloviansk, Debaltseve and others. He was wounded during the battles for Avdiivka in 2015.
Lieutenant Colonel Dmytro Kapitula has been appointed commander of the 46th Separate Airmobile Brigade of the Air Assault Forces. He previously commanded a battalion in the 95th Separate Air Assault Brigade. Kapitula replaced Colonel Vitalii Zolotarov, who was dismissed at the end of January 2024. TSN journalist Yuliia Kyriienko reported that Zolotarov was removed following the occupation of Kurakhove.
Colonel Oleksii Bulakhov has been appointed commander of the 35th Marine Brigade, named after Rear Admiral Mykhailo Ostrohradskyi.
Ukrainska Pravda reports that in early January, Brigade Commander Serhii Oliinyk was removed after taking command in the middle of operations in Krynky. He was replaced by Kyrylo Orliuk, who held the position for three weeks before being succeeded by Bulakhov.
Bulakhov is a defender of Mariupol and was released from captivity in September 2022. BBC previously reported that before being taken prisoner, he commanded the airborne service of the 36th Separate Marine Brigade, named after Rear Admiral Mykhailo Bilynskyi and in March 2020, he temporarily served as the brigade's deputy commander.
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