Serhii Nayev
Colonel General Serhii Nayev commanded Ukraine's Joint Forces during the critical Battle of Kyiv and oversaw the successful defense of the capital in February–March 2022. As the Northern Operational-Strategic Group commander, he coordinated the multi-axis defense against Russian thrusts from Chernihiv, Sumy, and Kyiv oblasts, leveraging territorial defense units and regular army forces to halt the Russian advance.
Key Operations
- —Defense of Kyiv (Feb–Apr 2022)
- —Northern front operations (Chernihiv, Sumy defense)
- —Joint Forces Command (2022–present)
Notable
Nayev's forces successfully held the northern front, preventing Russian ground forces from encircling Kyiv. The defense involved effective use of mined bridges, anti-tank ambushes, and counter-battery fire. After the Russian withdrawal, his units discovered and documented the Bucha massacre and other atrocities in liberated Kyiv Oblast.