Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has appointed commander of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) Serhiy Popko as Commander of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, presidential press secretary Svyatoslav Tsegolko has said..

"The president in the ATO zone has appointed ATO chief Serhiy Popko as Commander of the Ground Forces," he tweeted on Monday.

Prior to the appointment, Lieutenant-General Popko had served as ATO commander, being the Defense Ministry's representative in the headquarters of the Anti-Terrorist Centre.

As reported earlier, Poroshenko on Monday is visiting Donetsk region, where he is to hear a report on the situation at the front line in Donbas.