Ukraine establishes new Groups of Forces, replacing previous OSUVs

Ukraine has established new Groups of Forces, which replace the previous Operational-Strategic Groupings (OSUVs). These Groups of Forces—West, North, East, and South—serve as a link between the General Staff and the newly created Corps. Each Group is currently led by the commander of the respective Operational Command, meaning that the same General is responsible for both frontline combat management and rear administration and training duties. It remains unclear if this structure will change in the future.

The Ukrainian Group of Forces "Kursk" operates as a separate command element responsible for operations in the occupied area of Sumy oblast. It is estimated to be Corps-sized, based on the 8th Air Assault Corps and led by Colonel Dmytro Voloshyn.

In contrast, the naming scheme for the Russian Force Groups presents discrepancies. The Russian Groups—West, South, and East—are not necessarily located in those geographical areas. The Dnipro and North Groups are named after their geographical disposition, while the East, West, Center, and South Groups are named after the Military Districts from which their subordinated units originate. The Western Military District was divided into the Leningrad and Moscow Military Districts in early 2024, leading to confusion regarding the naming of the West Group. Three of the four Armies in the West Group are from either the Leningrad or Moscow districts, while the 25th Combined Arms Army is from the Central Military District.

The disposition and area of the Russian Force Groups are subject to change. For instance, one year ago, the South Group was positioned both north and south of the Center Group, a situation that has since changed with the transfer of units between these groups.