{{Short description|Ukrainian military general (born 1961)}} {{Infobox military person | name = Serhiy Mikolayovych Popko | native_name = Сергі́й Микола́йович Попко́ | image = File:Popko new gen ukr.jpg | image_size = 250px | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1961|02|13|df=yes}} | birth_place = Kiev,Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union (now Kyiv, Ukraine) | allegiance = {{USSR}}<br>{{UKR}} | service_years = 1978—2020 | rank = Colonel general | commands = Commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces<br>the Chief position of the Kyiv City Military Administration | alma_mater = Kyiv Higher Combined Arms Command School }} '''Serhiy Mikolayovych Popko''' ({{Langx|uk| Сергі́й Микола́йович Попко́}}, born 13 February 1961<ref name="Popko5282LB.ua">{{in lang|uk}} [https://lb.ua/file/person/5281_popko_sergiy_mikolayovich.html Small biography of Serhiy Mikolayovych Popko], {{ill|Lb.ua|uk|Lb.ua}} (access date: 19 November 2023)</ref> in Kyiv<ref name="Popko5282LB.ua"/>) is a Ukrainian military general. He served as Chief of the Kyiv City Military Administration from 2022 to 2024. Prior to that, he was Commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces from 2016 to 2019.
== Early career == Born on February 13, 1961 in Kiev, which was then part of the Ukrainian SSR in the Soviet Union.<ref name="lb" /> He is a graduate of the Kyiv Higher Combined Arms Command School.<ref name="lb" /> For some time, he was part of the Ukrainian peacekeeping mission in Iraq.<ref>{{cite web |title=Попко Сергій Миколайович — Біографія, Балотування, Фракції, Політична Агітація {{!}} ПолітХаб |url=https://www.chesno.org/politician/211287/ |website=www.chesno.org |access-date=10 February 2026 |language=uk}}</ref> From September 2011 to July 2012 he served as Commander of the 13th Army Corps, which was stationed in the city of Rivne.<ref>{{cite news |title=Новим командиром 13-го армійського корпусу призначено генерал-майора Ігоря Колесника |url=https://galinfo.com.ua/news/novym_komandyrom_13go_armiyskogo_korpusu_pryznacheno_generalmayora_igorya_kolesnyka_113814 |access-date=10 February 2026 |work=Гал-Інфо |date=10 July 2012 |language=uk-UA}}</ref> On 24 August 2012 he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general. After 2012, he served as Head of the Main Command Center of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and as acting commander of the Ukrainian Anti-Terrorist Operation, both positions of which he did until 2016.<ref name="lb" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Сергей Николаевич Попко |url=http://politrada.com/dossier/Sergey-Nikolaevich-Popko/ |access-date=2017-11-24 |website=politrada.com}}</ref> He was the commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces (2016-2019).<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.mil.gov.ua/ministry/kerivnicztvo/kerivnicztvo-vidiv-zsu/eneral-lejtenant-popko-sergij-mikolajovich.html |title=генерал-лейтенант Попко Сергій Миколайович |work=Міністерство оборони України |access-date=2017-11-24}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.mil.gov.ua/en/news/2016/03/28/president-petro-poroshenko-appoints-new-commander-of-land-forces-of-ukrainian-armed-forces/|title=President Petro Poroshenko appoints new Commander of Land Forces of Ukrainian Armed Forces|work=Ministry of Defence of Ukraine|access-date=2017-11-24}}</ref>
In 2017, he was promoted to colonel general.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.president.gov.ua/documents/4042017-23186|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190401233327/https://www.president.gov.ua/documents/4042017-23186|archive-date = 2019-04-01|title = Указ Президента України №404/2017}}</ref> From August 2019 to May 2020 Popko was Chief Inspector of the Ministry of Defense.<ref name="Popko5282LB.ua" /> On 7 May 2020 he was released into the reserves.<ref name="lb">{{cite web |title=Попко Сергій Миколайович |url=https://lb.ua/file/person/5281_popko_sergiy_mikolayovich.html |website=LB.ua |access-date=10 February 2026}}</ref>
== Kyiv Military Administration == On 21 October 2022, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed Popko Chief of the Kyiv City Military Administration.<ref name="Popko5282LB.ua" /><ref name="Popka8086ee9de3e">{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2023/nov/19/russia-ukraine-war-live-wave-of-drone-attacks-on-kyiv-for-second-night?filterKeyEvents=false&page=with:block-65599eda8f08086ee9de3e34#block-65599eda8f08086ee9de3e34|title=Drones attacked Kyiv in waves, says head of capital's military administration|work=The Guardian|date=2023-11-19|access-date=2023-11-19}}</ref> Popko’s tenure was accompanied with the Russian armed forces targeting Kyiv with missile attacks.<ref name="Popka8086ee9de3e" /> In December 2023, Ukrainian NGO ''Chesno'' stated that there was no clear demarcation of city management duties between Popko and Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko.<ref name="chesnopost582" /> They both co-chair the Kyiv Defense Council.<ref name="chesnopost582">{{cite web |url=https://www.chesno.org/post/5825/|title=How many military administrations operate in non-frontline cities?|date=26 December 2023|access-date=28 December 2023|publisher=Chesno|language=uk}}</ref>
On 31 December 2024, Popko was dismissed from the Chief position of the Kyiv City Military Administration.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-12-31 |title=УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №897/2024-Про звільнення С.Попка з посади начальника Київської міської військової адміністрації |url=https://www.president.gov.ua/documents/8972024-53445 |access-date=2024-12-31 |website=www.president.gov.ua/}}</ref>
== Military ranks == <!-- * Lieutenant General (24 August 2012)<ref>{{Указ президента Украины|506/2012|24 серпня 2012|Про присвоєння військових звань}}</ref> * Colonel General (5 December 2017)<ref>{{Указ президента Украины|404/2017|5 грудня 2017|Про присвоєння військових звань}}</ref> -->
== Awards == <!-- * Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, 2nd class (August 24, 2013)<ref>{{Указ президента Украины|449/2013|24 серпня 2013|Про відзначення державними нагородами України}}</ref> * Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, 3rd class (May 23, 2008)<ref>{{Указ президента Украины|477/2008|23 травня 2008|Про відзначення державними нагородами України військовослужбовців Збройних Сил України та внутрішніх військ МВС України}}</ref> * Medal "For Military Service to Ukraine" (August 19, 1998)<ref>{{Указ президента Украины|887/98|19 серпня 1998|Про нагородження відзнаками Президента України військовослужбовців Збройних Сил України}}</ref> -->
== See also == * Ukrainian Anti-Terrorist Operation * Ukrainian Ground Forces
== References == <references />
{{Commanders of the Ukrainian Ground Forces}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Popko, Serhiy}} Category:1961 births Category:Living people Category:Military personnel from Kyiv Category:Ukrainian generals Category:Colonel Generals of Ukraine Category:Ukrainian military personnel of the war in Donbas Category:Ukrainian military personnel of the Russian invasion of Ukraine Category:Recipients of the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, 2nd class Category:Recipients of the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, 3rd class