New Commander of the Air Assault Forces: What is known about Oleh Apostol
4 June 01:34
Ukraine has a new commander of the Airborne Assault Forces of the Armed Forces – Hero of Ukraine, General Oleh Apostol. He replaced Ihor Skybyuk in this position. [ Kommersant has gathered all that is known about the new commander of the Air Assault Forces.
Who is Oleg Apostol?
Oleg Apostol was born on April 17, 1987 in Ivano-Frankivsk.
He graduated from the Hetman Petro Sahaidachnyi National Army Academy, which became the basis of his military career.
In 2024, Apostol was appointed deputy commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrsky, and before that he commanded the 95th Air Assault Brigade.
Combat experience during the ATO
Since 2014, Oleg Apostol has been actively involved in combat operations in eastern Ukraine as part of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO). In particular, he entered Mykolaivka, Donetsk region, four times with his soldiers, where he stormed the occupiers’ fortifications.
On July 5, 2014, he was awarded the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytskyi, III class, for the liberation of Sloviansk and a number of other settlements.
In 2018, he headed the battalion of the 80th separate air assault brigade. After the beginning of the full-scale invasion, he participated in the liberation of settlements in Mykolaiv region.
He served as the commander of the 95th separate air assault brigade.
Role in the full-scale war
After the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Oleg Apostol actively participated in the fighting. He led the liberation of settlements in the Mykolaiv region, and in September 2022, he commanded airborne assault units during the de-occupation of the Kharkiv region.
on October 15, 2022, the President of Ukraine awarded him the Cross of Military Merit. In November of the same year, the Apostle became the head of the 95th Brigade.
In February 2024, during President Zelensky’s visit to the Kupyansk direction, he was awarded the Order of the Golden Star and was awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine.
In August 2024, he took part in an operation of the Ukrainian Defense Forces in the Kursk region.
