Zelensky appoints General Mykhailo Drapaty as Ukraine's new commander-in-chief, replacing Oleksandr Syrsky

On 21 July 2026, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the appointment of Major General Mykhailo Drapaty as the new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, replacing Oleksandr Syrsky. The decision, communicated via Telegram and a social media video, comes amid political tensions, protests over forced mobilisation, and the recent dismissal of Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.

A new commander at a critical moment

Drapaty, 43, was born in Kamianets-Podilskyi and graduated from the Kharkiv Institute of Tank Troops in 2004. He fought in the Donbas war in 2014 and, after Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, held command roles on the southern front. Ukrainian authorities credit him with involvement in the operations that liberated the right-bank part of Kherson region and the city of Kherson later that year. In February 2024 he became deputy chief of the General Staff for military training, and from May 2024 he led the operational-tactical groupings "Kharkiv" and then "Luhansk". Before this appointment he served as commander of the Joint Forces and earlier of the Land Forces. His decorations include the Cross of Combat Merit and all three classes of the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky.

Zelensky's statement and gratitude to Syrsky

I have decided that Mykhailo Drapaty will be the new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The president thanked Syrsky for his service, noting his role in the defence of Kyiv, the Kharkiv offensive and the Kursk operation. Zelensky said an important path had been travelled and that a dignified approach to every soldier was necessary. He also announced that further changes in the General Staff would be formalised the following day, on 22 July.

We all have one desire — victory over the enemy and achieving such conditions on the front and pressure on Russia that will allow us to force it to peace. Tomorrow we will formalise all decisions. Ukraine must emerge from this situation stronger, and it will be harder for Russia.

Protests and political backdrop

The command change did not happen in a vacuum. Earlier, Zelensky had dismissed Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, a move that, according to unofficial reports, stemmed from a long-running conflict between Fedorov and Syrsky. The dismissal triggered street protests in Kyiv and Lviv, driven by anger over forced conscription, citizens being rounded up on the streets and forcibly enlisted. Former presidential spokesperson Yulia Mendel described the demonstrations as authentic grassroots events, not carefully staged actions by Western-funded NGOs.

In reality, it was the issue of forced conscription that sparked the deepest public anger and triggered the largest spontaneous protests in Kyiv and Lviv. These were genuine grassroots demonstrations, not carefully staged events organized by Western-funded NGOs that receive far more attention.

Hours before Zelensky announced the military leadership change, Syrsky publicly apologised to the already dismissed Fedorov, according to media reports. The sequence of events underscores the depth of the rift at the top of Ukraine's defence establishment.

What happens next

Zelensky confirmed that he had already met with Syrsky and Chief of the General Staff Andriy Hnatov to discuss their further service and the handover of command. The president stressed that all decisions would be formalised on Wednesday, 22 July, and that the reshuffle was aimed at strengthening Ukraine's position. The appointment of Drapaty, a battle-hardened officer with experience across multiple fronts, signals a continuation of the military's operational focus even as political tensions simmer at home.