"We’ve lost more people to poor leadership and Soviet thinking than to direct Russian actions" – U.S. volunteer fighter O’Leary
American volunteer fighter Ryan O’Leary, commander of the Chosen Company, announced he is disbanding the unit due to poor leadership. The serviceman also expressed his opinion regarding the quality of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ officer corps.
This was reported by Censor.NET, citing EuroMaidan.
"I’ll say it again: as a soldier since February 2022, I assert that we have lost more people due to poor leadership and Soviet-style thinking than from direct Russian actions."
The officer corps in Ukraine behaves like a caste system of untouchables or "army princes." Instead of ensuring decent living conditions for soldiers, most of the leadership is more concerned about having a shower, a private room, and similar perks. This system allows incompetent officers not only to evade responsibility but also to get promoted or transferred to other positions to avoid paperwork or so that the brigade or battalion commander who appointed them doesn’t have to demote friends or deal with the consequences. Such cronyism directly affects the frontline situation.
A real example is the 59th Brigade. After Sukharevskyi was transferred to the USF (Unmanned Systems Forces), command was handed over to Shevchuk. During the first two months of his command, he sent intelligence officers on assault operations, which led to deaths and serious injuries among those who had no combat experience. This undermined not only morale but also the unit’s effectiveness. He sent soldiers to unreachable positions with no hope of reinforcement or even survival. It took over 16 months to remove him from command — 16 months of decisions that cost dozens, possibly hundreds, of lives. Such situations are part of the problem in the Ukrainian Ground Forces.
The non-commissioned officer corps was not properly established at the start of the full-scale war in 2022, while the officer corps continues to operate according to Soviet-era patterns, where failures are covered up and soldiers pay the price. We shed blood for Ukraine, we die for Ukraine, we fight for our children, wives, sons, and daughters — while indifferent, unmotivated officers who have no right to command continue making mistakes that lead to senseless deaths. I cannot speak about levels above the battalion, but considering recent statements from officers who tried to change the system and were forced to resign, this should be a warning sign for those in power.
Change is necessary if we want to preserve freedom for the next generation, Ukrainian identity, and continue the path to democracy. At the current pace, these officers will continue to fill cemeteries with brave, courageous Ukrainians for no justified reason. That is why I will no longer lead brave men and women into the hell of battle unless I know there is an officer in the rear who cares about our lives and wants to complete the mission alongside us.
The most valuable thing we have is our people, our intellect, our ability to think. We must engrain the belief that people matter more than meters or medals — something that, unfortunately, is currently lacking. Among us are butchers, among us are degenerates, and these officers must be immediately removed if we want to win this war and preserve our state.
If you’re an officer reading this, or a person in power—political or otherwise—and it angers you, look at the six questions below. If you don’t pass at least 75%, you are probably the problem. Or the problem is the command above you. It’s 2025 — time for Soviet thinking to die in the field alongside the Russians. We can no longer be led to the slaughter by promises of the bare minimum while our lives are entrusted to those who don’t care.
If you don’t receive well above 75% positive answers to these six questions, you are failing in command and must be immediately removed.
This is one of the reasons I decided to disband the "Chosen Company." It goes against my beliefs and values—to lead people to slaughter without any reason. It contradicts my principles—to fight without proper information. And it opposes my very nature—to send people into battle without all the necessary information to complete the mission.
This problem has existed in Ukraine since 2022. Officers often care more about awards, personal gain, or anything but the mission before us: to engage, destroy, and defeat the enemy. Although I’ve encountered worthy commanders at some levels, there have always been those who not only failed to improve the situation but also put people’s lives at risk—or will do so sooner or later.
The problem in Ukraine isn’t a shortage of people. The core issue lies in the "untouchable caste" status we've granted officers and the power they hold. If an officer doesn’t understand the basics—who, what, when, where, why (the 5Ws)—before any combat mission, whether defense or offense, they shouldn’t hold their position. Far too often, blame is shifted onto the rank-and-file, while the real responsibility rests with the command. No soldier will fight for an officer they don’t trust. No soldier will advance knowing their command won’t cover their back. This is a war of attrition. And the enlisted personnel are more valuable than officers any day of the week because it’s us who hold the trenches, basements, and combat positions.
"It’s time to address these problems," O’Leary stated.
