The military experience accumulated by Oleksandr Sirsky gave him a special status in his country (Getty)

Oleksandr Sirsky, a Ukrainian soldier, was born in 1965. He rose through the ranks of the military and gained experience and competence that made him a prominent name. He became one of the front-line men in his country’s army, and gained the status of “Hero of Ukraine.”

He rose through the ranks of the army from a military officer to a general, and rose through the military ranks to the point of being appointed on Thursday, February 8, 2024, by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as head of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, succeeding Valery Zaloghny.

The military experience he accumulated made him enjoy a special place with the head of state, who describes him as “the most experienced general in Ukraine” and praises his abilities, especially after his participation in his country’s war against Russia and the defense of the capital, Kiev, during the attack on it.

Birth and upbringing

Sersky was born on July 26, 1965 in the village of Novinki in the Vladimir Province, which was part of Soviet territory and became part of Russia.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union and Ukraine (a name derived from the Russian language, which means border country or border land) gained independence, he was only 26 years old, so he decided to settle in his country in 1991.

He is married with two children, and some media reports say he goes by the nom de guerre “Luntik.”

He was influenced by Soviet thought, and became described as a man of the Soviet school who was imbued with its method and approach. This brought him many troubles, and placed him in the corner of criticism whenever he assumed additional military responsibility.

The appointment of Oleksandr Sirsky to the position of Commander of the Ukrainian Army coincided with approximately two years since the outbreak of the Russian war on Ukraine.

Oleksandr Sirsky in Donetsk at the beginning of July 2023 (Getty)

Educational path

He accumulated educational experience in major military schools and academies. In the 1980s, he joined the Higher School of Combined Arms Command in Moscow, which is an institution specialized in military education, and was the largest higher military school in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. He continued his studies there until he graduated in 1986.

Sersky gained scientific experience in the Soviet artillery force, and after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, he decided to stay in Ukraine and enrolled at the National Defense University in the capital, Kiev.

In 1996, after years of training at the Armed Forces Academy in Ukraine, he graduated with honors. He was also able to enter the National Academy of the Armed Forces, where he graduated in 2005.

His various military studies paved the way for him to join the ranks of the Ukrainian army, rise through its ranks, and fight several wars under its banner.

Military path

Oleksandr Sirsky began his military career in the ranks of the Soviet Union Army, after receiving training at a military institute in Moscow, and remained in that position until his country, Ukraine, gained independence following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

He joined the ranks of the Independent Ukrainian Army, became one of its first generation of soldiers, and became known as a Ukrainian soldier using Soviet methods.

Some writings indicated that he worked from the beginning of his military career in an artillery unit equipped with 152 mm self-propelled howitzers, as well as in units designated for launching nuclear missiles.

Sersky participated in the Soviet wars against Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and the Czech Republic until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.

He also participated as a member of the Ukrainian army who fought alongside the United States of America in Afghanistan after 2001, and there he gained a special kind of military experience.

Sersky (right) explains to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky his military plans (French)

Military responsibilities and ranks

There are many military responsibilities that he held and the ranks that Oleksandr Sersky was able to reach, the most notable of which are:

In 2009 he rose to the rank of general while commanding the 72nd Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Army.

In 2013, he participated in cooperation with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and was a witness to the reforms introduced to the Ukrainian army in accordance with the standards of this alliance.

He was appointed First Deputy Head of the Main Command Center of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and represented the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense during discussions on transforming his country's army, at NATO headquarters, and this presence had a major impact on his path.

Starting from 2013, he became the first deputy head of the Main Command Center of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The year 2014 was a turning point in his career, and coinciding with the start of the military escalation in eastern Ukraine, he was chosen for the position of commander of military operations against the pro-Russian separatists, and he fought several confrontations and battles on behalf of the Ukrainian forces that fought the rebels supported by Moscow in the Donetsk region in the east of the country.

He was responsible for resisting "terrorist operations", led operations in eastern Ukraine, and played a decisive role in the war that broke out due to Russia's annexation of Crimea. He later received a high military medal.

In 2015, his star shone in the Donbass region in the east of the country, which at that time was prey to the fighting against pro-Russian separatists, and he was appointed deputy commander of the Ukrainian defense operation.

Thanks to the key role he played in several battles, he was assigned the task of heading the Joint Operations Headquarters of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Between May and August 2019, he led the operations of the joint forces, and was promoted to assume the position of Chief of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, a responsibility he held for more than 5 years and led him to the position of Chief of the Ukrainian Army in February 2024.

In February 2022, he served as commander-in-chief of military forces in Kiev when the Russian president launched his attacks.

In April of the same year, he was awarded the title of "Hero of Ukraine" after he assumed command of the defense of Kiev during the first weeks of the war with the Russian army, which is the highest honor and most prestigious decoration in the country.

On February 8, 2024, he was appointed Head of the Armed Forces, succeeding General Valery Zalughny, who is about 6 years younger than him.

Source: websites