Colonel Dmytro Savon was appointed commander of the 80th Brigade
Colonel Dmytro Savon has become the new commander of the 80th Separate Galician Airborne Assault Brigade. He succeeded Mykhailo Kurakh, who had led the brigade since 2025 and has now become chief of staff of the 8th Airborne Corps. Savon has served in the military since 2001 and previously served as a battalion commander and deputy commander of the 80th Brigade.
A new commander has been appointed to the 80th Separate Galician Airborne Assault Brigade. Colonel Dmytro Savon has taken the post. This was reported on September 30 by military correspondent Yulia Kyriienko-Merinova.
Savon replaced Colonel Mykhailo Kurakh, who had led the 80th Brigade since 2025. Kurakh left his post due to a promotion; he became chief of staff of the 8th Corps of the Airborne Assault Forces.
What is known about Dmytro Savon
Dmytro Savon has served in the Armed Forces of Ukraine since 2001. During this time, he has held various command positions, including service with the 80th Brigade. Previously, Savon commanded the 1st Battalion of the 80th Brigade. In 2023, his unit took part in battles in the Donetsk region, specifically in the operation to drive Russian troops out of Klishchiivka near Bakhmut.
After that, Savon became deputy commander of the 80th Brigade. Initially, he worked with Commander Emil Ishkulov, and later with Pavlo Rozlach. The latter led the 80th Brigade during the Kursk Operation. Prior to his new assignment, Savon also participated in international military training exercises. Among them was the MDMP (Military Decision-Making Process) course, which is used by the U.S. military and NATO forces for operational planning.
Servicemen from the 80th Brigade had previously spoken about his experience. In a ZAXID.NET article, Savon was described as an officer who gradually rose through the ranks from an enlisted soldier to a leadership position in the brigade. Military correspondent Yulia Kirienko-Merinova specifically noted the attitude toward Savon among the soldiers who served with him. “The respect Savon’s subordinates in the 80th Brigade have for him is a rare phenomenon in the military. There is one not-so-positive trait about him, as Dmytro himself says: he is too humane and kind,” she said.
This is her personal assessment, not an official evaluation of the new brigade commander.
What is known about Mykhailo Kurakh
Mykhailo Kurakh took command of the 80th Separate Galician Airborne Assault Brigade in 2025. He held this position until September 2026. Now Kurakh is moving to another command position—chief of staff of the 8th Airborne Corps. In other words, this is not a discharge from military service, but a promotion to a higher position.
The 80th Brigade is one of the well-known units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ Airborne Assault Troops. Its soldiers are engaged in combat against Russian forces on various fronts. Previously, the brigade was also led by Emil Ishkulov and Pavlo Rozlach. In July 2024, following Ishkulov’s transfer, the Airborne Assault Forces command announced that he had been promoted, and Pavlo Rozlach became the new commander of the 80th Brigade.
Later, command of the brigade passed to Mykhailo Kurakh, and now it is led by Dmytro Savon. Thus, the 80th Galician Brigade has a new commander—Colonel Dmytro Savon, who is well acquainted with the unit and has previously held command positions within it. Mykhailo Kurakh will continue to serve as chief of staff of the 8th Corps of the Airborne Forces. This was reported on September 30 by military correspondent Yulia Kyriienko-Merinova.
