Brigadier General Prokopenko takes command of new "Azov" grouping in Donetsk sector
Brigadier General Denys Prokopenko (call sign "Redis") formally took command of the newly created "Azov" military grouping on September 13, 2026. The formation, one of two new groupings announced by President Volodymyr Zelensky to reinforce Ukrainian positions in Donetsk Oblast, will operate in the Donetsk direction under the leadership of the commander of the 1st Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine "Azov."
Key points
- Prokopenko began performing the duties of commander of the "Azov" military grouping on September 13, 2026.
- The "Azov" grouping is a newly created formation designated to operate in the Donetsk direction.
- On August 26, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced two new groupings for Donetsk Oblast, to be commanded by Heroes of Ukraine Denys Prokopenko and Andriy Biletsky.
- Biletsky, commander of the 3rd Army Corps, was named to lead the second grouping, "Center," responsible for most of Donetsk Oblast, while continuing to command the 3rd Army Corps.
- Prokopenko has held the rank of Brigadier General and has commanded the 1st Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine "Azov" since April 7, 2025.
- The 425th Separate Assault Regiment "Skelia" has been placed under the operational subordination of the 1st Corps of the NGU "Azov."
- Prokopenko was awarded the title Hero of Ukraine and the Order of the Gold Star on March 19, 2022 for the defense of Mariupol.
Why it matters
The appointment establishes a new operational-level command structure for Ukrainian forces on a critical sector of the front. Prokopenko, one of Ukraine's most prominent battlefield commanders and a Hero of Ukraine for Mariupol, now leads a formation paired with a second new grouping, "Center," under Andriy Biletsky — a coordinated restructuring of command across Donetsk Oblast. The placement of the 425th Separate Assault Regiment "Skelia" under the 1st Corps of the NGU "Azov" further expands Prokopenko's area of responsibility.
What happened
Brigadier General Denys Prokopenko (call sign "Redis") took command of the newly created "Azov" military grouping on September 13, 2026, in the Donetsk direction. The formation is one of two new groupings announced by President Volodymyr Zelensky on August 26, 2026, intended to reinforce Ukrainian positions in Donetsk Oblast. The second grouping, "Center," will be commanded by Andriy Biletsky, commander of the 3rd Army Corps, who will retain his corps command. Prokopenko also heads the 1st Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine "Azov," a post he has held since April 7, 2025, and the 425th Separate Assault Regiment "Skelia" has been placed under that corps' operational subordination. The announcement of Prokopenko's appointment was published on the Facebook page of the 1st Corps of the NGU "Azov."
How Ukrainian sources describe it
All supplied sources are Ukrainian-language media and a domestic agency, so framing is uniformly domestic. Coverage centers on Prokopenko's biography, his rise within Azov since joining the battalion in July 2014, his Hero of Ukraine title awarded for the defense of Mariupol in 2022, and the institutional continuity with the 1st Corps of the NGU "Azov." Ukrainian sources emphasize the defensive purpose of the new groupings and frame Prokopenko's appointment as a reinforcement of Ukrainian positions in Donetsk Oblast.
Where reporting differs
Article 17044 dates President Zelensky's announcement of the two new groupings to March 26, while other sources and the majority of the underlying facts date it to August 26, 2026.
Background
Prokopenko joined the Azov battalion on July 11, 2014, and in 2017, at age 26, became commander of the Azov regiment — the youngest regimental commander in the history of Ukraine's National Guard and Armed Forces. On March 19, 2022, during the defense of Mariupol, President Zelensky awarded him the title Hero of Ukraine and the Order of the Gold Star. On April 7, 2025, he was appointed commander of the 1st Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine "Azov." Under his leadership, "Azov" was transformed from a volunteer unit into a professional combat formation, with NCO and officer training programs and command-and-staff exercises. He has participated in battles for Marinka, Ilovaisk and Mariupol, and commanded the 1st company during an offensive near Pavlopil and Shyrokyne.