Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday fired Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi as commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces and named his substitute, following days of mass protests in Kyiv, the country’s capital, and other cities across the nation demanding his removal.
It was the second major change Zelenskyy has made under street pressure, after protests last summer forced him to undo a law weakening Ukraine’s anti-corruption watchdogs.
Zelenskyy appointed Mykhailo Drapatyi as the brand new army chief, based on an announcement on social media. “Our shared wish is one — victory over the enemy and conditions on the front and in pressure on Russia that may force Russia toward peace,” Zelenskyy said.
The Ukrainian leader said he made the choice after a series of meetings with military commanders. They began shortly after protests broke out demanding the reinstatement of former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, seen by demonstrators as a driver of military modernization, and the removal of Syrskyi, who they said embodied the military’s old, Soviet-style command culture.
Zelenskyy thanked Syrskyi for his achievements in Ukraine’s fight against Russia and praised him for the defense of Kyiv and for operations in Kharkiv and Kursk.
“I’m grateful to Oleksandr Syrskyi and to each one in all our warriors for Ukraine’s strong front-line positions,” he said. “I’m grateful to Mykhailo Drapatyi for holding that very same view.”
Drapatyi wrote in a Facebook post that serving Ukraine “has at all times been an honor for me, and through this war for independence, it means absolute responsibility.” He thanked Syrskyi for his consistent work strengthening the Ukrainian military.
“I grew up in it,” he added, referring to the military. “I’ll work responsibly, with focus and with respect for the people defending our state today.”
Zelenskyy said Drapatyi and other commanders must present an updated defense strategy, including continued reform of the corps system, faster weapons and drone deliveries, stronger air defense against Russian strikes and a clearer mobilization plan.
Former defense minister’s future in the federal government stays unclear
Zelenskyy met individually with Fedorov on Tuesday and offered him what he called a respected position in the federal government that may unify the country’s technology sector. It wasn’t clear if Fedorov accepted the offer — or whether the most recent moves would satisfy protesters and calm the streets.
Fedorov congratulated Drapatyi, calling the appointment “recent hope within the fight of free people for freedom and justice” and “a voice for change that might not go unheard.”
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Fedorov had criticized Syrskyi publicly before his dismissal, saying the overall was blocking his reform efforts and needed to get replaced for Ukraine to not fail in its resistance against Russia. He said Ukrainians’ high expectations must now be met with a transparent vision for ending the war, decisive motion to preserve soldiers’ lives, expand robotic warfare on the front, strike asymmetrically and exhaust Russia’s economy.
Fedorov called Syrskyi to thank him for defending the Kyiv region, the Kharkiv operation and other battles, calling it “already a very important a part of Ukraine’s history” but adding that the country must “move even faster and write recent chapters, correcting all previous mistakes.”
The military chief’s dismissal was sparked by protests
The crisis began last Thursday, when Zelenskyy overhauled his wartime government, replacing his prime minister and firing Mykhailo Fedorov as defense minister after just six months within the post.
Zelenskyy cited an unworkable rift between Fedorov and Syrskyi, telling reporters that because the two couldn’t resolve their dispute, he would “must resolve it.”
Following his dismissal, Fedorov publicly accused Syrskyi of blocking military reforms and fostering a top-down command culture, criticism that echoed complaints from soldiers and veterans over heavy casualties in costly front-line assaults.
The reshuffle immediately drew hundreds of protesters into the streets of Kyiv and other cities, framing Fedorov’s removal as Zelenskyy siding with an entrenched military old guard over a reformer.
The backlash promptly spread to contained in the military: the Air Force’s deputy commander resigned in protest, warning the move would weaken Ukraine’s air defenses; veterans and soldiers on leave joined the protests in Kyiv and other cities, and diverse public figures amongst soldiers spoke out publicly against Syrskyi on social media.
Criticism of the military chief had escalated
Syrskyi has long been related to a Soviet-style, top-down command culture, and lots of protesters said they wanted a brand new generation of generals who would place the next priority on preserving soldiers’ lives.
Throughout the military, Syrskyi has earned the gruesome nickname of “Butcher,” which particularly spread during his command of the defense of Bakhmut, one in all the war’s longest and costliest battles.
His already precarious public standing eroded further after Ukrainian outlet Babel published an investigation in June detailing allegations of abuse throughout the Skelia assault regiment, a unit closely related to Syrskyi that has reportedly suffered higher-than-average battlefield losses. The investigation documented dozens of deaths amongst recruits.
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