Zelensky dismisses Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi, appoints Drapatyi
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, on July 21 and appointed Joint Forces Commander Mykhailo Drapatyi as his replacement.
President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on his Telegram channel that he had relieved Oleksandr Syrskyi of his post as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The new commander will be Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi, who previously commanded the Joint Forces.
The change came amid growing public dissatisfaction with Syrskyi, which intensified after the dismissal of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov last week. Protests that began on July 15 quickly turned into calls for Syrskyi's removal, and many protesters, including soldiers and veterans, demanded his replacement by Drapatyi. Crowds even chanted 'Drapatyi!'.
Syrskyi publicly denied reports of a conflict with Fedorov, calling it a surprise and stating that he viewed their relationship as professional. However, the rift between the two officials had been an open secret, described as a generational and stylistic conflict between reformer Fedorov and the more traditional Syrskyi, who favored a centralized command style rooted in Soviet doctrine.
Drapatyi, in contrast, advocates for greater initiative among lower-level commanders and faster decision-making. After Fedorov's dismissal, he publicly supported reforms, saying 'the army needs changes' and emphasizing that a commander has no right to remain silent about problems when lives are at stake.
Drapatyi has significant combat experience: he helped organize the defense of Kryvyi Rih, was a key commander in the liberation of Kherson, and later led Ukrainian operations during Russia's 2024 offensive in the Kharkiv region.
