politics
Zelenskyy replaces top Ukraine general after mass protests
President chooses 43-year-old Mykhailo Drapatyi to replace Oleksandr Syrsky in generational shift in Kyiv’s military leadership
TL;DR
- Mykhailo Drapatyi appointed commander-in-chief of Ukraine's armed forces, replacing Oleksandr Syrsky.
- This is the biggest shake-up of Ukraine's military leadership since 2024.
- The decision follows mass protests demanding Syrsky's removal.
- Drapatyi, 43, is seen as representing a younger generation of officers shaped by the war.
- Syrsky, 60, is Russian-born and Soviet-trained.
- Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov was dismissed last week, sparking public trust concerns.
- Fedorov congratulated Drapatyi, calling the change "a breath of fresh air and new hope."
- Drapatyi has a prominent battlefield record, including in Mariupol and Donbas.
- He previously resigned after a strike killed soldiers, citing accountability.