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Lieutenant Colonel Ihor Mykhailenko has been appointed commander of the 53rd Mechanized Brigade in Ukraine's 3rd Army Corps, succeeding Andriy Kolodyazhny. Mykhailenko's priorities include psychological support, UAV development, and personnel training.

He joined the Azov Battalion in 2014 as a volunteer, leading an assault group during the liberation of Mariupol and participating in significant battles. He became second commander of the Azov Regiment and later founded the 'Centuria' organization. After returning to service, he commanded the Azov-Kyiv Special Operations unit and served as deputy commander of the 3rd Assault Brigade before his recent appointment in March 2026.