Operational Command West

Operational Command West
OC West (in green)
Active	1997–present
Country	Ukraine
Branch	Ukrainian Ground Forces
Type	Military district
Garrison/HQ	Rivne
Commanders
Current commander	Major General Ihor Dougan
Insignia
Shoulder sleeve insignia

Operational Command West (OC West) is a formation of the Ukrainian Ground Forces in western Ukraine. Its headquarters is located in Rivne.

History

When Ukraine gained independence from the Soviet Union, there were three Military Districts on its territory. These were the Kiev, Odessa and Carpathian Military Districts. The Carpathian Military District was established in July 1945. In 1997, the Western Operational Command was created from the Carpathian Military District.^[1]

By 1 July 2006, the Western Operational Command consisted of units directly subordinated to the command and to the 13th Army Corps. These units were:

• 7th Separate Army Aviation Regiment
• 11th Separate Artillery Brigade
• 15th Rocket Artillery Regiment
• 14th Separate Mechanized Brigade
• 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade
• 55th Separate Communications Regiment
• 80th Airmobile Regiment
• 146th Reconnaissance and Command Center
• 59th Artillery Regiment
• 128th Separate Mountain Infantry Brigade
• 703rd Engineering Regiment
• 704th Separate Chemical Defense Regiment

In October 2013, Operational Command North was created in Rivne. The Western Operational Command's headquarters was moved to Lviv and disbanded in August 2015. In November 2013, the 80th Airmobile Regiment was upgraded to brigade strength.^[2]

Since the beginning of 2015, Operational Command North was moved to Chernihiv. Operational Command West headquarters remained in Rivne.^[3] Major General Ihor Dougan is currently the leader of the command.^[4]

In October 2015, the 10th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade was formed in the command.^[5][6]

During late January and early February 2016, units of Operational Command West participated in joint training exercises with British instructors in Rivne. ^[7]

Commanders

• Lieutenant General Valeriy Stepanov (1992)
• Colonel General Vasyl Sobkov (1993–1994)
• Colonel General Petro Shuliak (1994–1998)
• Colonel General Serhiy Chernilevsky (1998–1999)
• Colonel General Mykola Petruk (2003–2004)
• Lieutenant General Mykhailo Kutsyn (2004–2010)
• Major General Viktor Hanushchak (2010; acting)
• Lieutenant General Yuri Domanskii (2010 – May 2012)
• Lieutenant General Ihor Kolesnik (?-2015)
• Major General Ihor Dougan (2015–present)

References

1. ↑ Kuzmuk, A. (2011). Evolution of the Ukrainian Ground Forces (PDF). 
2. ↑ "80-й окремий аеромобільний полк – desant-ukrain" [80th Separate Airmobile Regiment]. desantukrain (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2016-01-29. 
3. ↑ "Ukrainian Military Pages: Сухопутні війська". www.ukrmilitary.com. Retrieved 2016-01-29. 
4. ↑ "Commander of Operational Command "West" checked prepare one of the teams in Lviv and awarded soldiers". Ukrainian Ministry of Defense. Retrieved 2016-01-29. 
5. ↑ "В Україні сформували нову гірсько-штурмову бригаду ЗСУ – Новини – Український тиждень, Тиждень.ua". tyzhden.ua. Retrieved 2016-01-29. 
6. ↑ "У Коломиї створили нову 10 гірсько-штурмову бригаду | 10 гірсько-штурмова бригада". 10brygada.com.ua. Retrieved 2016-01-29. 
7. ↑ "На Рівненщині закінчився курс підготовки українських підрозділів за участю інструкторів Збройних Сил Великої Британії" [In Rivne ended training course with the participation of Ukrainian units of the Armed Forces instructors UK]. mil.gov.ua (in Ukrainian). 2 February 2016. Archived from the original on 9 February 2016. Retrieved 9 February 2016.