Defense minister appoints new heads of Kharkiv and Zhytomyr academies

Ukraine has appointed new commanders for the Military Institute of Tank Troops in Kharkiv and the Zhytomyr Military Institute named after Serhiy Koroliov, replacing leaders who faced criticism for outdated, Soviet-style training methods. The new leaders are Colonel Yevhen Kamalov for the Kharkiv institute and Colonel Maksym Lanovyi for the Zhytomyr institute.

This appointment was made by Defense Minister Evgeniy Khmara on November 3. The change comes after criticism about the previous commanders' training practices, with allegations that they relied on outdated methods. Colonel Kamalov replaces Oleksandr Serpukhov, while Colonel Lanovyi succeeds Andrii Sliusarenko. The Ground Forces Command stated that the changes aim to better prepare future officers for modern warfare, emphasizing the importance of cadets' continuous improvement.

The appointments follow a series of broader efforts to modernize military education, including updates to curricula and living conditions at military educational institutions.