Ukraine appoints new chief of general staff at critical phase in war with Russia

Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky has appointed Major General Andriy Hnatov as his new chief of general staff of the armed forces.

Maj Gen Hnatov replaces Lieutenant General Anatoliy Barhilevych.

Ukraine's defence ministry says the move will accelerate army reform and improve combat effectiveness as Russia piles the pressure on Ukraine on the battlefield.

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Maj Gen Hnatov takes on the role at a crucial time, with Ukraine's military on the back foot on several frontlines.

Russian forces are making gains in Donetsk, Kharkiv and Odesa and have recently retaken their territory in Kursk which was seized by Ukraine last year.

Ukraine's defence ministry wants to turn the situation around in the three-year conflict by making changes at the top.

"We are consistently changing the armed forces to make them even more combat-ready," said Ukraine's defence minister Rustem Umerov.

"To achieve it, we are changing the management system and introducing clear standards."

Maj Gen Hnatov's task is to strengthen Ukraine's military and he certainly has the experience to take on that challenge, with 27 years in the military, rising through the ranks from marines brigade commander to lead troops in the Donetsk region.

Ukraine has around 880,000 people serving in its armed forces, but it is fighting a larger army with more manpower.

Despite western military aid and training, including from the UK, Ukraine has struggled to fight against the Russian tactic of sacrificing thousands of troops by pushing them across frontlines to make minimal gains.

In recent years, Ukraine has transformed its military and sustained a defiant fight against Russia.

Now it is shifting from a brigades-based system towards a corps system of larger units, aiming to improve coordination among its forces, which are spread along more than 1,000km of frontline.

"We plan to change the principles and methods of this war," said Ukrainian commander Andriy Biletskyi. "This means changing the course of the war in favour of Ukraine."

The new chief of general staff takes up the job as US president Donald Trump pushes for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.

Talks to agree on a temporary ceasefire are ongoing, with Mr Trump expected to have a call with Russian president Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Ukraine and Russia traded drone attacks overnight and the fighting on the frontlines continues.