Policy

Sending General Nayev to the combat zone: an expert explains the details

Journalist Yuriy Butusov reported that the former commander of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Serhiy Nayev received a combat order to serve as the commander of the Velyka Novosilka tactical group. This order was given personally by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy. [comersant] asked military expert Dmitry Snegirev for his opinion.

He noted that Serhiy Nayev is a combat general and, accordingly, his place is at the front.

“Regarding Nayev’s statements, what I heard was a statement about the possibility of reaching the borders of ’91. This is unrealistic. Why he would make such statements, for me, raises a big question,” Snegiryov said.

The expert added that Ukraine does not currently have the ability to implement these statements by Nayev, either in financial or human resources. Moreover, with regard to the issue of de-occupation of Donbas, this is an urbanized area with dense urban development, and accordingly, the Ukrainian side has limited human resources.

Thus, the mobilization reserves amount to 3.5 million, of which half a million have gone abroad, one million are booked, which leaves 2 million. One million are already in the Ukrainian Defense Forces. That is, in fact, the army can only rely on a million soldiers. And the occupying country has mobilization reserves of 15 million.

“Another clarification to avoid conspiracy theories. Zelensky stated that even military university professors should have practical combat experience. That is, teachers of military universities, not to mention a combat general,” the military expert clarified.

In general, Dmytro Snegiryov links the situation around Serhiy Nayev to the likely upcoming elections in Ukraine.

What preceded it

Yuriy Butusov, the editor-in-chief of Censor.NET , claimed in one of his media materials, citing sources, that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reacted strongly to Nayev’s sensational interview, in which he emphasized that the failure of Ukraine’s preparations for a Russian attack in 2022 was the full responsibility of the country’s political leadership and the president personally.

However, according to him, Nayev cited the impossibility of immediate implementation of the decision, as the position of tactical group commander is a temporary command and control body, and to be appointed to this position, one must have a full-time position in the Armed Forces.

Serhiy Nayev: what is known about the Armed Forces general

Lieutenant General Serhiy Ivanovych Nayev was born on April 30, 1970, in the city of Mohyliv-Podilskyi, Vinnytsia region. In 1987, he graduated from the Kalinin Suvorov School, and then continued his studies at the Moscow Higher Combined Arms Command School, graduating in 1991.

After graduation, Nayev began serving in the army, becoming a motorized rifle platoon commander in the Western Group of Forces in Germany. In 1992-1993, he was at the disposal of the command of the Far Eastern Military District.

In March 1993, he joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine. During the 1990s and 2000s, he held various positions in the Western and Southern Operational Commands. He rose from platoon and reconnaissance company commander to battalion commander in the 7th Mechanized Regiment of the 24th Mechanized Division. Later, he headed the 820th Mechanized Regiment of the 128th Mechanized Division, and then commanded the 28th Separate Mechanized Brigade.

In 2006-2007, Serhiy Nayev studied at the National Defense Academy of Ukraine at the Faculty of Training of Operational and Strategic Specialists. He was awarded the Queen’s Sword by the British Ambassador to Ukraine for his high academic achievements.
From 2018 to 2019, he served as Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, while also heading the Joint Operations Staff and commanding the Joint Forces Operation. In 2020, he again became the head of the Joint Forces and remained in this position until February 2024.

For his service, Serhiy Nayev was awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine in 2022 and was also awarded a number of state awards, including the medals “For Military Service to Ukraine”, “10 Years of the Armed Forces of Ukraine” and “15 Years of the Armed Forces of Ukraine”.

The general is married to Natalia Nayeva. They have three children: sons Dmytro and Vladyslav, and daughter Yevheniia. Dmytro received a law degree from the Yaroslav the Wise National Law University and works at the State Treasury Service of Ukraine. Vladyslav continues his studies at the same university.