On September 13, Ukrainian Brigadier General Denis "Radish" Prokopenko officially took command of the "Azov" grouping of forces, which will fight in Donetsk Oblast. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing a statement from the 1st "Azov" Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine. Thus, the personnel decision previously announced by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, made public on August 26, has been put into practical effect: the commander of the 1st NGU Corps has effectively assumed leadership of the new operational formation in the zone of active combat operations.
A new system for managing the defense of the Donbas
Prokopenko's appointment is part of a broader restructuring of the management of the defense of Donetsk Oblast. On August 26, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that "Radish" would head one of two newly created groupings of forces in the region, named "Azov." The second grouping — "Center" — was placed under the command of 3rd Army Corps commander Andriy Biletsky, who will continue to command the corps itself. According to the published information, "Center" will be responsible for the defense of a significant part of Donetsk Oblast. Overall, the defense of the region will serve as a kind of stress test for the new system of managing the Armed Forces: if it proves effective, this approach, as envisioned by Kyiv, could be scaled up to other directions.
"Radish's" military path: from battalion to Hero of Ukraine
Denis Prokopenko began his service in the "Azov" battalion on July 11, 2014. As part of the unit, he took part in all the major combat operations of the summer-autumn campaign, in particular in the battles for Mariynka and Ilovaisk, as well as in the defense of Mariupol. At the age of 26, "Radish" became the commander of the "Azov" regiment, becoming the youngest regimental commander in the history of the National Guard and the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In 2022, during the defense of Mariupol, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recognized Prokopenko for the personal courage and heroism displayed in defending the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and awarded him the title of Hero of Ukraine with the conferral of the Order of "Golden Star."
Reformatting "Azov" into a professional formation
The press office of the 1st NGU Corps "Azov" emphasized that Denis Prokopenko's main merit lies in reformatting "Azov" from a volunteer unit into a professional combat formation. According to the department's assessment, it was precisely this experience that became the key argument in selecting him for the post of commander of the new grouping of forces, which is set to operate under conditions of intense combat in Donetsk Oblast.
Context: end-of-year forecasts and new operations
Prokopenko's appointment comes against the backdrop of growing interest in the prospects for combat operations through the end of 2026. Previously, RBC-Ukraine learned what would happen to the war by the end of the year and received forecasts from the commanders of "Kharta," "Azov," and the Third Corps. In addition, "Azov" recently disclosed for the first time the results of a new operation in Donetsk Oblast, which further underscores the increased role of this formation in the overall defense system of the region.
