As of September 18, 2026, the Liman direction has moved out of the responsibility zone of the Group of Joint Forces and under the command of the new military formation 'Center.' This was announced on a telethon by Viktor Tregubov, the spokesperson for the Group of Joint Forces, as reported by RBC-Ukraine. According to him, the changes took effect effectively from the moment of the statement: 'The Liman direction is literally being taken from us starting today; it falls within the subordination zone of the newly created Group of Forces "Center."'

What Changed in the Command Structure

The key element of the reshuffle was the change in the subordination of the Third Army Corps. Previously, it was part of the Group of Joint Forces, but it now belongs to the new 'Center' formation. Thus, the reshuffle affects not only a section of the front but also a specific army formation, indicating a deeper, rather than formal, reorganization of command links in this direction.

Which Directions Remained Under the Previous Command

The Ukrainian military representative emphasized that the changes concern exclusively the Liman sector. The Kupyansk and South-Slobidskyi directions remain in the responsibility zone of the Group of Joint Forces. This means that the reorganization is targeted in nature and does not imply a wholesale change of command over the entire front, but is focused on one specific sector of combat operations.

Assessment of the Situation on the Front

Separately, Tregubov commented on the state of the enemy on the Liman direction. In his assessment, Russian troops there are currently 'not in the best shape.' The spokesperson also noted that there are no signs of optimism about what is happening in this sector of the front even among Russian propagandists, which, in his words, indirectly confirms the difficulty of the advancing side's position in this sector.

Context: Operation 'Vivaldi'

The command reshuffle is taking place against the backdrop of previously reported first results of Operation 'Vivaldi' to liberate the Donetsk region. According to available data, Ukrainian military eliminated camouflaged Russian servicemen and created a bridgehead for further advance. The transfer of the direction to a new formation at such a moment may indicate an intention to concentrate command and resources to develop the achieved success.

Why This Matters

The change of subordination of an entire direction and an army corps is a signal of the redistribution of command authorities during active combat operations. For observers of the course of the conflict, such reshuffles are important because they reflect the adaptation of the command structure to current tasks in a specific sector of the front, where, according to the Ukrainian military assessment, the enemy is experiencing difficulties.