Александр Сырский. Фото: t.me/osirskiy
Oleksandr Syrskyi has been dismissed as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Mykhailo Drapatyi has been appointed as the new commander-in-chief.
“I have decided to appoint Mykhailo Drapatyi as the new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.”, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
“The fact is that Oleksandr Syrskyi delivered results for Ukraine during the defense of Kyiv, the Kharkiv counteroffensive, and the Kursk operation. A significant path has been covered, Ukraine’s defense continues, and every soldier deserves proper treatment. I am grateful to Oleksandr Syrskyi and to each of our soldiers for Ukraine’s strong positions on the front line. I am grateful to Mykhailo Drapatyi precisely for this approach.”, Zelenskyy explained his decision.
All decisions will be formally finalized on Wednesday, July 22.
On July 15, Ukraine’s Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov resigned. Media reports suggested a conflict and confrontation between Fedorov and Syrskyi. Rallies in support of Fedorov were held across Ukraine. Syrskyi denied any conflict with the former defense minister. In recent days, Zelenskyy has held a series of meetings with the Armed Forces’ leadership.
Drapatyi has commanded the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine since June 2025. Before that, he served as Commander of the Ground Forces and headed the Khortytsia Operational-Strategic Group of Forces.