As Ukraine seeks to bring its military up to NATO standards by 2020, a new command hierarchy is to be introduced, giving a stronger role to non-commissioned officers in the army’s everyday duties.

An extensive package of amendments to Ukrainian military manuals presented in the Verkhovna Rada by Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman on Feb. 5 foresees the creation of a number of new sergeant ranks in each brigade, battalion, company, and platoon, in many ways similar to the way Western militaries organize their forces.