Commanders from Azov, Marines, and 93rd tell Ukraine’s defense minister what front needs. He wants their methods scaled to other units

On October 16, Ukrainian Defense Minister Yevhenii Khmara visited front-line units to gather input on how to improve the effectiveness of the war effort. The defense minister emphasized that the constantly changing nature of the front line requires decisions to be made promptly and efficiently, as sending outdated information can result in unnecessary losses. Khmara's approach is to base ministry policy on the experiences of the soldiers who are on the front, continuing the "machines over men" program.

The meeting included commanders from various units such as the Airborne Assault Forces, Marine Corps, 93rd Mechanized Brigade, 100th and 28th Mechanized Brigades, 1st, 425th and 475th Assault Regiments, 3rd and 59th Assault Brigades, and the 1st Azov Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine. The 1st Azov Corps is actively engaged in defensive operations in the Donetsk Oblast, which has been a key stronghold for Russia since 2014.

The discussion centered around command practices that help save soldiers' lives, optimize resource utilization, and achieve desired combat results. The goal of the ministry is to study and disseminate these methods to other units, recognizing that the hard-earned knowledge of commanders is a valuable resource that should be scaled across the force.

Defense Minister Khmara stressed that accelerating adaptation and providing modern, effective tools to Ukrainian soldiers are a shared responsibility between the Defense Ministry, the commander-in-chief, and the General Staff.