The Pentagon has prematurely relieved the commander of the US 5th Army Corps, who coordinated American military operations in Europe and logistical support for Ukraine, ABC News reported on Friday, Aug. 7. Lt. Gen. Charles Costanza was removed from his post in recent days, approximately two months before his scheduled departure.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. The reasons for his early dismissal remain undisclosed. His designated successor, Maj. Gen. Thomas Feltey, has already been confirmed by the US Senate and was scheduled to assume command in October. Costanza had led the 5th Army Corps since April 2024. Brig. Gen. John B. Mountford, previously the deputy commanding general for readiness, is currently serving as acting commander. The 5th Army Corps is responsible for commanding US ground forces in Europe. Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the corps has played a central role in coordinating American military assistance to Kyiv and maintaining the US troop presence on NATO’s eastern flank, with forward headquarters located in Poland. Costanza’s removal occurs amid sweeping personnel changes within the US military hierarchy. Since Pete Hegseth assumed the role of defense secretary, more than two dozen high-ranking officers have been dismissed or suspended, often without public explanation. However, an unnamed source familiar with the matter told ABC News that Costanza’s dismissal was not politically motivated or connected to Hegseth’s broader restructuring of the military leadership.