Oleg Apostol explains refusal of Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of Ukraine post

Oleg Apostol, commander of the Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, publicly explained the reasons for his refusal of the offer to take up the post of Supreme Commander. The military officer emphasised that he currently lacks the necessary level of maturity to perform such duties.

Commander's personal stance

«Мені ще зарано. До посади треба дорости професійно, морально і психологічно» ("It is still too early for me. One must grow into the position professionally, morally and psychologically"), Apostol stated, commenting on his refusal. According to him, the key factors for such a responsible role are not only the officer's age, but also the depth of their service experience, the duration of their tenure in command positions, as well as their conduct in combat conditions and ability to make decisions.

Building a personnel reserve

In addition to personal motives, the Air Assault Forces commander drew attention to the need to prepare leadership personnel. He underlined the importance of building a personnel reserve. Apostol explained that modern officers who currently command platoons, companies and battalions may lead significantly larger military formations in a few years.