Zelensky dismisses army chief Syrskyi, names Drapatyi as successor after protests

A sudden shake-up

President Volodimir Zelenski announced on Tuesday evening the dismissal of Oleksandr Sîrskîi as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and named Mîhailo Drapatîi as his replacement. The decision, which Zelenski said would be formalized on Wednesday, came after six days of street protests triggered by the surprise removal of Defense Minister Mîhailo Fedorov on 14 July. Fedorov had publicly accused Sîrskîi of forcing his ouster and blocking reforms.

I have decided that the new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will be Mîhailo Drapatîi. Together with Mîhailo, Evgheni Hmara and Pavlo Palisa, we have established how the structure of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine should be reorganized.

Drapatîi's rise

Drapatîi, a 41-year-old tank officer from Kamianeţ-Podilskîi, built his reputation in the battles for Mariupol, Kherson and Kharkiv. In 2014, as a battalion commander in the 72nd Mechanized Brigade, his BMP broke through a separatist barricade in a moment seen as symbolic of Ukraine regaining control of Mariupol. After the full-scale invasion in 2022, he coordinated the defense of a strategic sector of the front. In 2024 Zelenski appointed him commander of the Ground Forces, the largest branch of the army. He resigned from that post in 2025 after taking responsibility for the deaths of soldiers in a Russian attack.

Most recently, Drapatîi led the Joint Forces, the structure coordinating front-line operations in and around the Kharkiv region. Under his command in autumn 2025, Ukrainian units including the Khartiia Brigade liberated large areas around Kupiansk, which had been under Russian threat. Rob Lee, a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, described Drapatîi as a commander who consults subordinates and identifies their needs rather than simply issuing orders.

Syrskyi's legacy and the Fedorov feud

Sîrskîi, 60, had held the top military post since February 2024. He was credited with the successful defense of Kyiv at the start of the invasion, the Kharkiv counteroffensive, and the Kursk operation inside Russian territory. Born in Russia, he never shook off a reputation among critics as a general with a Soviet mindset, earning the nickname "Butcher."

His dismissal followed a bitter public row with Fedorov, who was removed on 14 July. Fedorov, described as Ukraine's most popular minister, alleged that Sîrskîi had obstructed the Defense Ministry's reform efforts and fueled divisions within the armed forces. Sîrskîi pushed back in an op-ed published in the military outlet Militarni.

I am not at war with the ministry. I am at war with Russia.

He warned that splitting people into rival camps would distract from the war against Russia, adding that "Ukraine is bigger than Fedorov, Sîrskîi and any of us."

What Zelensky said

In his evening address, Zelenski thanked Sîrskîi for his service and acknowledged his role in the defense of Kyiv, the Kharkiv offensive and the Kursk operation. He said he had discussed with Sîrskîi and Chief of General Staff Andrii Hnatov the forms in which they would continue their service and the handover of responsibilities. Zelenski also revealed that he had offered Fedorov a "dignified post" to coordinate the country's technological component.

Our desire, all of us, is only one: victory over the enemy and achieving such conditions on the front and such pressure on Russia that will allow us to force Russia to peace.

Next steps

All decisions are to be formalized on Wednesday, Zelenski said. The shake-up comes at a moment when, despite the political turmoil, Ukraine has managed to halt the advance of invading troops and carry out effective airstrikes on Russian territory. The new command team of Drapatîi, Special Operations Forces commander Evgheni Hmara, and deputy presidential chief of staff Pavlo Palisa will now oversee a reorganization of the General Staff.