Commander of the Southern Defense Forces, Hennadiy Shapovalov, is stepping down as he has secured a new position in Germany.

Brigadier General Hennadiy Shapovalov is concluding his service as the commander of the Operational Command "South" and will be transitioning to work abroad. From now on, he will be responsible for coordinating military assistance for Ukraine in Germany. His new posting will be in Wiesbaden, where NATO's command center is located, which has been supplying weapons and training Ukrainian military personnel since July 2024.

Shapovalov announced his decision through the official page of the Operational Command "South." He expressed pride in being part of a team of professionals that effectively managed defensive operations.

"I was honored to be the commander of the troops of the Operational Command 'South' - a powerful military collective that has bravely and selflessly defended Ukraine's independence and sovereignty on all fronts since the first days of the Russian-Ukrainian war. I am proud to have been part of this strong, cohesive, and motivated team of management professionals, true warriors, and genuine patriots of Ukraine!" — wrote Shapovalov.

He also thanked his subordinates for their dedicated service and expressed confidence that they would continue to perform their duties at the highest level.

"I am grateful to each and every one of you for your loyalty and spirit, for your diligent service and fruitful cooperation in defending the Ukrainian state. I am convinced that you will continue to strive for excellence, fulfilling your military duty with dignity and enhancing the glory of the Ukrainian army in pursuit of our Victory! Thank you for your service! Together we will win! Honor!" — added the general.

What is known about Shapovalov's new area of activity

Recall that back in January, President Volodymyr Zelensky appointed Shapovalov as the coordinator for military assistance to Ukraine in Germany. His new posting will be in Wiesbaden, where NATO's command center is located, which has been supplying weapons and training Ukrainian military personnel since July 2024.

It is worth noting that at the end of January, the budget committee of the German parliament appealed to Finance Minister Jörg Kukies, urging him to approve an additional 3 billion euros in military assistance for Ukraine. This decision was supported by opposition conservatives and the Free Democratic Party. Reports indicate that there are sufficient funds in the country's budget to meet this request.

Germany has been assisting Ukraine since the first days of the full-scale war by supplying equipment and weapons. It is one of our country's key partners. Regarding air defense, Germany has provided Ukraine with several IRIS-T and Patriot systems. Recently, Germany, in collaboration with allies, announced the supply of 100 additional missiles for the Patriot missile systems to Ukraine.

On January 15, Germany announced additional military assistance to Ukraine. Specifically, the supply of a large number of artillery shells and drones has been confirmed.