Shake-Up at the Top in Ukraine: Zelensky Fires His Army Chief

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced overnight (between Tuesday and Wednesday) that he is appointing Maj. Gen. Mykhailo Drapatyi as commander of the Ukrainian army, replacing Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi. The move comes just one week after the dismissal of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, a decision that triggered an unusual wave of protests.

Maj. Gen. Mykhailo Drapatyi, 43, is considered one of Ukraine’s most highly regarded officers. He began confronting Russian forces as early as 2014, when he took part in the fighting in Donbas against the “Donetsk People’s Republic,” the separatist entity created, funded, and armed by Moscow. After the Russian invasion in 2022, he commanded the operation to liberate the western part of Kherson province. He was later appointed commander of forces in southern Ukraine, and last year was promoted to a parallel role roughly equivalent to the head of the Operations Directorate in the IDF.

In remarks delivered after the announcement, Zelensky thanked Syrskyi for his contribution to the war effort: “It is a fact that Oleksandr Syrskyi delivered results for Ukraine in the defense of Kyiv, in the Kharkiv counteroffensive, and in the Kursk operation.” At the same time, he stressed that the change in command does not signal any shift in Ukraine’s wartime policy: “We all share the same desire — to achieve victory over the enemy and to create conditions, including through pressure on Russia, that will force it to seek peace.”

Zelensky also addressed the future of the dismissed defense minister and said he had offered Fedorov “a new role in the government dealing with the development of the country’s technological component.”

Shortly after the announcement, Drapatyi released a statement thanking those involved in the appointment: “I thank the President of Ukraine for his trust, the defense minister for his support, and the defense forces — for a new stage of service.” He added, “Serving Ukraine has always been an honor for me, but in a war for independence it means absolute responsibility.” He continued: “I thank the commander of Ukraine’s defense forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, for his consistent work in strengthening Ukraine’s military branches. We will work responsibly, with focus and with concern for the people defending the country today. Glory to the nation, death to the enemies.”

Fedorov also congratulated him on the appointment: “I congratulate Maj. Gen. Drapatyi on the appointment. This is a new spirit and a new hope of free people for liberty and justice. The voice of change, which could not go unheard.” He also wrote that “now, the high expectations of Ukrainians must be justified through a clear vision for ending the war of independence, a strong team, and determined decisions aimed at preserving the lives of our fighters, robotizing the front, delivering asymmetric blows, and wearing down the Russian economy.”

Later, Fedorov revealed that he had spoken with Syrskyi after the announcement that his term had ended: “I thanked him for the defense of Kyiv province, for the Kharkiv operation, and for other historic battles. They are already an important part of Ukraine’s history. But we must move faster and write new chapters, while correcting the mistakes of the past. Thanks to everyone involved!”