Chief Sergeant of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Chief Master Sergeant Oleksandr Kosynskyi Chief Sergeant of the Armed Forces of Ukraine – Head of Directorate for Work with Non-Commissioned Officers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Born on January 26, 1978 in Rava-Ruska, Lviv Oblast, Ukrainian.

Civic education – Kirovohrad State Pedagogical University (Kirovohrad), Master's degree, in 2012 (with distinction); Interregional Academy of Personnel Management (Kyiv), Master's degree, in 2021.

Military education – Military College of Non-Commissioned Officers of the Sahaidachnyi National Army Academy (Lviv), higher level, in 2013; Cherniakhovskyi National Defense University of Ukraine (Kyiv), Higher Level Leadership Course for Non-Commissioned Officers, in 2019.

Drafted into the Armed Forces of Ukraine on December 01, 1998 by the Holoprystan District Military Commissariat of Kherson region. Took the military oath of allegiance to the Ukrainian people on December 26, 1998.

Military service:

• 1998 – 1999 Rescuer of the rescue squad of immediate response, Kirovohrad.
• 1999 – 1999 Senior climber-scout of the rescue detachment of immediate response, Kirovohrad.
• 1999 – 2000 Commander of the rescue department of the rescue detachment of immediate response, Kirovohrad.
• 2000 – 2002 Deputy platoon commander of the security company of the special training center, Kirovohrad.
• 2002 – 2003 Commander of the department of the training company of the Special Forces Training Center, Kirovohrad.
• 2003 – 2004 Commander of the Special Forces Squad of the Special Forces Regiment, Kirovohrad.
• 2004 – 2009 Deputy commander of the Special Forces Group of the Special Forces Regiment, Kirovohrad.
• 2009 – 2011 Sergeant Major of the Special Forces Company of the Special Forces Regiment, Kirovohrad.
• 2011 – 2011 Sergeant for material support of the Special Forces Company of the Special Forces Regiment, Kirovohrad.
• 2011 – 2012 Deputy commander of the Special Forces Group of the Special Forces Regiment, Kirovohrad.
• 2012 – 2013 Sergeant Major of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Kyiv.
• 2013 – 2020 Sergeant Major of the Armed Forces of Ukraine – Chief of the Department for Work with Non-Commissioned Officers of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Kyiv.
• 2020 – 2021 Sergeant Major of the Armed Forces of Ukraine – Chief of the Department for Work with Non-Commissioned Officers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Kyiv.
• since 2021 Chief Sergeant of the Armed Forces of Ukraine – Chief of the Department for Work with Non-Commissioned Officers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Kyiv.

Additional information:

Multiple times participated in competitions of special forces reconnaissance groups of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (2003, 2005, 2006, 2007) and international competitions of special forces groups in the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of Slovakia (2008). In 2009, was recognized as the best deputy commander of the regiment’s special forces group.

Combatant since 2005. Took part in:

• rescue operations in Transcarpathia (1999);
• peacekeeping mission in the Republic of Sierra Leone (2001-2002);
• peacekeeping operation in the Republic of Iraq (2004-2005);
• Anti-terrorist operation on the territory of Donetsk and Luhansk regions (2014, 2015, 2017), including as a platoon commander of the “Aidar” Separate Assault Battalion;
• Joint Forces Operation on the territory of Donetsk and Luhansk regions (2018-2019), including as a chief sergeant of the Joint Forces;
• strategic defense operation against the full-scale military invasion of the russian federation (2022-... ), including as part of the forces of the “Khortytsia” Operational-Strategic Grouping of Troops (2022) as the chief sergeant of this grouping.

Military training and advanced training courses:

• language training courses (DLI ELC, San Antonio, Texas, USA, 2010);
• Marine Corps section commander course (USMC SOI “East”, Jacksonville, North Carolina, USA, 2010);
• mid-level NCO course in the specialty “Administration in units – company-battalion” (Military College of NCOs at National Technical University “Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute”, Kharkiv, 2012, with distinction);
• instructor course (BMATT, Military Academy, Vyskov, Czech Republic, 2012);
• course of demolition divers (Faculty of Military Training of Kamianets-Podilskyi Ivan Ohienko National University, 2012);
• course of staff sergeants for work in NATO headquarters (PSOTC, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2014);
• Building Integrity for Senior NCO Course (PSOTC, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2014);
• NATO NCO Orientation Course (NATO School, Oberammergau, Germany, 2017);
• NATO Senior NCO Major Course (NATO School, Oberammergau, Germany, 2017).

Fluent in English. Instructor in airborne training. Class III demolition diver, authorized to carry out demolition operations on the surface and underwater.

Major awards:

• Medal of the President of Ukraine “For Military Service to Ukraine”;
• Presidential Award “For Participation in the Anti-Terrorist Operation”;
• Medal of the Minister of Defense of Ukraine “For Diligent Service”, III degree;
• Medal of the Minister of Defense of Ukraine “15 Years of Diligent Service”;
• Medal of the Minister of Defense of Ukraine “20 Years of Diligent Service”;
• commemorative badge of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine “Warrior-Peacemaker”;
• award of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, honorary badge “Cross of Military Honor”;
• award of the Chief of the General Staff - Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine “For Exemplary Military Service” of III, II, I degrees;
• Badge of the Chief of the General Staff - Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine “Participant of the Anti-Terrorist Operation”;
• Award of the Commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine “For Service and Valor”, III, II degrees;
• Award of the Commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine “For Assistance to the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine”;
• Award of the Commander of the “South” Operational Command of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine “For the Defense of Mariupol”;
• Award of the Commander of the Joint Forces (JFO) “Cossack Cross”, I degree;
• UN Medal “For Service in Sierra Leone”;
• medal of the Multinational Division “Central-South” “For service in the stabilization forces in the Republic of Iraq”;
• Award of the Commander of the National Armed Forces of the Republic of Latvia “For Merit”, bronze;
• Award of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Lithuania “For Merit”;
• Paratrooper badge of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Slovakia.