Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has officially dismissed the country's army commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi. The decision follows six days of widespread protests and mounting political pressure on the president to replace the 60-year-old commander.
Many in Ukraine viewed Syrskyi as a figure from the Soviet-school of military leadership who was reluctant to implement the radical changes necessary for the modern battlefield.
In a video message released late on Tuesday, President Zelensky thanked Syrskyi for his military leadership, specifically highlighting his role in the successful defense of Kyiv during the initial days of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
Syrskyi had previously expressed his perspective on the situation in an op-ed for the Militarny website on Monday, noting that he viewed his relationship with former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov as strictly professional.
He addressed the recent tension by stating, "If I offended anyone, Mykhailo Albertovych, I'm sorry," and emphasized that "real work, not the public drama surrounding it, wins the war."
Syrskyi is being replaced by Drapatyi, who is widely regarded as a younger, more innovative commander and is considered a close associate of Fedorov. Upon his appointment, Drapatyi pledged to work with full focus and respect for the personnel currently defending the nation. He also expressed gratitude to Syrskyi for his consistent efforts to strengthen the Ukrainian army throughout the conflict.
The political instability was compounded by the recent departure of defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who was replaced last week by Yevhenii Khmara, a former top official at Ukraine's Security Service (SBU). Fedorov, 35, had earned significant praise for his data-driven approach to improving front-line performance, his leadership in anti-corruption efforts, and his work as a former minister of digital transformation.
During his tenure, he famously established the "IT Army of Ukraine" for cyber-attacks and launched the "Army of Drones" initiative, which utilized gamification to reward military units for hitting Russian assets. Fedorov publicly endorsed Drapatyi’s appointment, describing it as a "new hope" and a "voice of change that could not be ignored."
President Zelensky indicated that all formal decisions regarding these leadership changes would be finalized on Wednesday. For the time being, acting Defence Minister Khmara remains in his position. Zelensky has tasked both Khmara and the new commander, Drapatyi, with developing a comprehensive new defense strategy.
This mandate covers critical areas including the reform of the military corps system, weapons supply chains, and the continued integration of drone technology.
Federov's clear endorsement of Drapatyi is likely to go some way towards defusing the political crisis of the past week. Public desire remains strong for Fedorov to return to a position of authority where he can continue driving innovation in the war effort, even as the struggle to recruit soldiers in Ukraine turns violent with everyone's fear of dying on the front lines.
"I will work responsibly, with full focus, and with respect for the people who are defending our country today," Drapatyi said on Facebook.
Fedorov had been appointed defence minister only in January – but has been widely praised for using data to analyse and try to improve performance on the front line.
