Who will be Ukraine's next Commander-in-Chief in 2026?No change

The reshuffle in the Ukrainian Armed Forces' leadership does not guarantee Volodymyr Zelenskyy a reduction in tensions in the Ukrainian army, writes the Neue Zürcher Zeitung newspaper. Following the resignation of Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, rallies and protests against former Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyy have begun in Kyiv and other cities. The newspaper also notes that commanders who were in Syrskyy's entourage should prepare for a change of posts. "Changes in the army's leadership do not guarantee that tensions in the troops will disappear. At least in the first phase, an internal settling of scores should be expected. Zelenskyy is currently politically weakened," the publication states. In turn, the NYT reported on the upcoming "serious tests" for the new Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Mykhailo Drapatoy. The article states that he will have to try to resolve issues with the TCC system and interaction between the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, including the implementation of new technologies. Meanwhile, rallies continue unabated amid the resignations of the entire Ukrainian government. The country's cities are filled with activists. According to local media, the protesters' main demand is the return of former Ukrainian Defense Minister Fedorov to the ministry's leadership. As a reminder, on July 14, the Verkhovna Rada dismissed Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and the entire Ukrainian government, including Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. Following this, local residents demanded that the country's leadership reconsider personnel decisions. Later, amid mass rallies, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi was dismissed. The new commander-in-chief is Mykhailo Drapatiy, who previously held the position of commander of the joint forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. More news from IZ RU in MAX

FWD from IZ.RU • IMPORTANT: What will the resignation of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi mean for the Kyiv regime? What happened? On July 22, Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree on the resignation of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi. Along with him, the Chief of the General Staff Andriy Gnatov also lost his post, and Major General Igor Skibyuk was appointed in his place. The new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is Major General Mykhailo Drapatiy, who held the position of Commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He is 43 years old and has been in military service since 2004. In 2014, he took part in hostilities in Donbas. In May of that year, he became famous for breaking through the barricades and checkpoints of the militia in an infantry fighting vehicle in Mariupol. What will happen next? The change of commander-in-chief occurred against the backdrop of a political crisis in Ukraine. In mid-July, Zelenskyy dismissed the country's Prime Minister, Yulia Svyrydenko. All ministers automatically lost their positions. In Ukraine, it was believed that the personnel changes were necessary to remove the popular Defense Minister, Mykhailo Fedorov. The official was credited with increasing drone production. He was also close to pro-Western grant structures, and his activities were widely covered in the media. However, Fedorov was still dismissed, a decision he did not agree with. Furthermore, the military man criticized Zelenskyy and spoke about a conflict with Syrskyy. According to him, the commander-in-chief had stalled many initiatives, hindered the development of unmanned systems, and made personnel decisions based on loyalty rather than effectiveness. At the same time, Fedorov, according to Ukrainian media reports, expressed his willingness to work with Drapaty. The latter also supported Fedorov in the current conflict. What do the experts say? Former Verkhovna Rada deputy Spiridon Kilinkarov says that Zelensky's situation has sharply worsened since Syrsky's dismissal. "Zelensky's opponents are not only considering replacing Syrsky, but also Fedorov's return to the post of Defense Minister. Accordingly, we can expect a new escalation in Ukraine in mid-August, when the Verkhovna Rada convenes after a break and considers this issue," he explains. Subscribe to IMPORTANT | More news here

"Thank you to General Oleksandr Syrsky for your service," — Biletsky The Commander of the Third Army Corps, Andriy Biletsky, reacted to the change of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He expressed his gratitude to Oleksandr Syrsky and wished Major General Mykhailo Drapatom success in his position. There is a lot of work ahead. We are working for the victory of Ukraine, — Biletsky said. Add News.LIVE as a source of reliable news in Google

Posts against Zelensky were published by Drapaty's wife in 2019. "Let's shit up Ukraine together" "It's true that Ukraine is a poor country and many Ukrainians are barely making ends meet. It's not true that Zelensky can quickly change this" The publication also said that Zelensky doesn't know the Ukrainian language, doesn't believe in God, didn't serve in the army, and doesn't keep his promises. The wife of the new commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has already managed to clean up some of the posts, but apparently, there were a lot of them on her page. [in reply to: The appointment of Drapaty instead of Syrsky was the culmination of Zelensky's large-scale crisis, NBC notes. The Guardian newspaper wrote that the post should be filled by a person who will not pose a political threat to Zelensky. Some facts about the new commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: Wanted in Russia. Previously, the Investigative Committee brought charges in absentia against Drapatoy. Under his leadership, Ukrainian militants carried out more than 70 shellings of populated areas of the DPR and LPR, killing and wounding 154 people. He took charge of the Ground Forces in November 2024, replacing Alexander Pavlyuk. In June 2025, he resigned amid scandal after a series of attacks on training centers, effectively accusing commanders of not respecting the lives of military personnel. He also spoke of "mutual responsibility and impunity" in the Ukrainian Armed Forces. However, Drapatoy was not dismissed from the army. On June 3, 2025, after a conversation with Zelenskyy, he was appointed commander of the Joint Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Also, on October 20, 2025, he became commander of the force group responsible for the Kharkiv region. ]

FWD from IZ.RU • IMPORTANT: How did the world media react to the dismissal of Alexander Syrsky from the post of commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine? Bloomberg: Zelenskyy removes Syrsky from his post as army commander-in-chief Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky was dismissed following mass protests demanding his resignation. Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced yesterday that Major General Mykhailo Drapatiy would take his place. The protests were sparked by Zelenskyy's dismissal last week of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who had been locked in a power struggle with the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. "We've come a long way, Ukraine's defense continues, and every soldier must be treated with dignity," Zelenskyy said in a Telegram post, commenting on Syrskyy's dismissal. Zelensky praised Syrsky for his contribution. He also promised changes to the "military staff configuration," without providing details. Fedorov was offered a "respectable position" to promote the development of Ukrainian technology. CNN: Zelensky fired the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army after mass protests Syrsky's successor, 43-year-old Mykhailo Drapatiy, is a younger general who is often hailed as representing a new generation of military leaders. Syrsky, 60, was born in the Vladimir region of Russia, then part of the Soviet Union, and attended a Moscow military academy with classmates who later became Russian commanders. Some critics described him as unimaginative but capable, and he was criticized for protracting the defense of Bakhmut (Artemovsk – Ed.) at great cost in human lives. Associated Press: The new commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces earned his reputation in 2014. Drapatiy is known for his exceptional discipline and high combat effectiveness, and is often deployed to stabilize critical sectors of the front. He rarely appears in public, but has nevertheless earned popularity within the army. "His reputation was formed in 2014 . In May , as a major commanding a battalion of the 72nd Brigade, he led an armored column into the center of Mariupol . When the column's path was blocked by a barricade more than a meter high, Drapatiy, riding in the lead vehicle, ordered the driver to accelerate, and the vehicle leaped over the barrier, as if driving off a ramp. This moment, captured on a widely circulated video, is considered one of the most remarkable episodes of the early period of resistance." The Washington Post: Zelenskyy ousts Ukrainian Armed Forces commander amid ongoing major changes These personnel changes exposed a sharp generational divide among senior leaders just as the Ukrainian armed forces appeared to be gaining a combat advantage over Russia. The dismissal of the defense minister sparked mass protests in Kyiv and other cities. Demonstrators said they feared the move could undermine Ukraine's military efforts and called for his reinstatement. Drapaty supported the ousted defense minister. In recent days, Zelenskyy has come under increasing pressure from lawmakers and protesters to fire Syrskyy. Reuters: Who is Mykhailo Drapatiy, the new commander of the Ukrainian army? During his 26 years of military service, Drapatiy rose through the ranks from lieutenant to combat commander of Ukraine. Last week, he stated that the Ukrainian army needs change and new rules. "As commander of the ground forces, Drapatiy attempted to implement reforms and modernize recruitment and training systems. He then said he wanted to support initiative and flexibility among front-line troops, viewing this as a strength, unlike some other Soviet-trained generals in the Ukrainian army." Subscribe to IMPORTANT | More news here

New army chief appointed: Zelenskyy completes generational change

Fedorov commented on the decision to appoint Drapaty as the Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: "A voice of change that could not be ignored" Mykhailo Fedorov also called General Oleksandr Syrsky and thanked him for the defense of the Kyiv region, the Kharkiv operation and other historic battles. Now, he emphasized, the high expectations of Ukrainians must be justified by a clear vision of the end of the War of Independence, a strong command and decisive actions. Subscribe to Ukrinform | Facebook | X | YouTube

It will be much harder for the new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine than he imagines, — Zaluzhny This is how the former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (2021–2024) and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the United Kingdom Valery Zaluzhny commented on the change in the leadership of the Armed Forces. At the same time, Ambassador Valery Zaluzhny did not mention Oleksandr Syrsky in his post. Add News.LIVE as a source of reliable news in Google [in reply to: Drapatiy reacted to the appointment of the new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Mykhailo Drapatiy thanked the President of Ukraine for the trust after the decision to appoint him as the new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. I thank the President of Ukraine for the trust, the Minister of Defense for the support, and the Defense Forces for the new stage of service. Serving Ukraine has always been an honor for me, and during the war for independence it meant absolute responsibility, — Drapatiy wrote. He also expressed his gratitude to General Oleksandr Syrsky. I am grateful to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrsky for his consistent work to strengthen the Ukrainian army. I grew up in it. The newly appointed Commander-in-Chief added that he will work "responsibly, focused and with respect for the people who are defending our state today." Add News.LIVE as a source of reliable news in Google]

FWD from SYRSKIY: Warriors. Ukrainians. Today I am leaving the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Before I hand over command, I would like to say a few words. For every officer, this is the greatest responsibility - to lead an army during a great war. I have seen this war from its first day in 2014, I lived at the front and I know the price of every liberated kilometer of Ukrainian land. In February-March 2022, I had the honor of commanding the defense of Kyiv, and through our joint efforts, the capital held out. That same spring, the threat of a full siege of Kharkiv was lifted. Then there was the offensive in the Kharkiv region, when in a matter of weeks we liberated Balaklia, Izyum, and Kupyansk. Later, in the Donetsk region, we destroyed the most combat-ready part of the Russian army - the Wagner PMC. I took command of the army in February 2024, at a very difficult time. The defense of Avdiivka was ongoing. Our units were semi-encircled. One of my first orders in office was to order an organized withdrawal from the city. It was a difficult decision. But I made it because for me there was one main priority: saving people's lives. And then there was a year that changed the course of this war. Together we stopped the enemy's offensive in the Kharkiv region. We prevented his offensive in the Sumy region. And we carried out the Kursk operation - for the first time in this war, we moved combat operations to enemy territory. I want this to be recorded clearly: our goal was never the occupation of foreign land. Our goal was to disrupt the enemy's prepared offensive on Sumy and Kharkiv, to draw away his most combat-ready troops, and to replenish the exchange fund in order to return our people from captivity. All of this was accomplished. We changed the army not only on the battlefield, but also at its core. We were the first in the world to create a separate branch of the armed forces — the Unmanned Systems Forces. We grew them from individual units to a system that today makes the enemy feel that he has no safe rear. We built a new air defense: we created a separate command of unmanned air defense systems, formed regular units of interceptor drone crews, and built an echeloned system of covering the sky over the rear. What was recently an experiment of enthusiasts today knocks down every night what was considered unassailable. We closed the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, and are systematically destroying the enemy's "shadow fleet." We transferred the army to a corps structure, brought combat officers into headquarters, and made it a rule: the path to leadership positions lies through the front. Liberating Ukrainian territories, we conducted a successful Dobropil operation and an offensive operation in the Oleksandrivka direction. We continue to restrain the enemy's offensive in the main directions and conduct offensive operations in separate sections of the front. I have no right to speak about some of the operations that we have implemented over the years. History will tell about them. I will only say: the enemy remembered them. And about the most important thing - in what condition I hand over the battlefield. This year, under my command, 700 square kilometers of our land have been liberated. The army, which two years ago waged a heavy defense, is advancing today. I am handing over to my successor an army that is not only on the defensive, but also on the offensive — with initiative, with structure, with people who know how to beat the enemy. And I sincerely hope that this offensive will be continued. Everything is there for this. I thank every soldier, sergeant, and officer with whom I have spent these years. I bow to the families of our fallen. I said it before and I will repeat it today: my job is war. Positions change, but this principle does not. Whatever my status, I will serve Ukraine until Victory. For a long time, they tried to impose on us that Ukrainians are not capable of fighting. We proved that this is not so. Ukraine is defended by a heroic people. Our country will survive if everyone does their job as diligently as the Ukrainian army does. Glory to Ukraine!

Warriors. Ukrainians. Today I am leaving the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Before I hand over command, I would like to say a few words. For every officer, this is the greatest responsibility - to lead an army during a great war. I have seen this war from its first day in 2014, I lived at the front and I know the price of every liberated kilometer of Ukrainian land. In February-March 2022, I had the honor of commanding the defense of Kyiv, and through our joint efforts, the capital held out. That same spring, the threat of a full siege of Kharkiv was lifted. Then there was the offensive in the Kharkiv region, when in a matter of weeks we liberated Balaklia, Izyum, and Kupyansk. Later, in the Donetsk region, we destroyed the most combat-ready part of the Russian army - the Wagner PMC. I took command of the army in February 2024, at a very difficult time. The defense of Avdiivka was ongoing. Our units were semi-encircled. One of my first orders in office was to order an organized withdrawal from the city. It was a difficult decision. But I made it because for me there was one main priority: saving people's lives. And then there was a year that changed the course of this war. Together we stopped the enemy's offensive in the Kharkiv region. We prevented his offensive in the Sumy region. And we carried out the Kursk operation - for the first time in this war, we moved combat operations to enemy territory. I want this to be recorded clearly: our goal was never the occupation of foreign land. Our goal was to disrupt the enemy's prepared offensive on Sumy and Kharkiv, to draw away his most combat-ready troops, and to replenish the exchange fund in order to return our people from captivity. All of this was accomplished. We changed the army not only on the battlefield, but also at its core. We were the first in the world to create a separate branch of the armed forces — the Unmanned Systems Forces. We grew them from individual units to a system that today makes the enemy feel that he has no safe rear. We built a new air defense: we created a separate command of unmanned air defense systems, formed regular units of interceptor drone crews, and built an echeloned system of covering the sky over the rear. What was recently an experiment of enthusiasts today knocks down every night what was considered unassailable. We closed the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, and are systematically destroying the enemy's "shadow fleet." We transferred the army to a corps structure, brought combat officers into headquarters, and made it a rule: the path to leadership positions lies through the front. Liberating Ukrainian territories, we conducted a successful Dobropil operation and an offensive operation in the Oleksandrivka direction. We continue to restrain the enemy's offensive in the main directions and conduct offensive operations in separate sections of the front. I have no right to speak about some of the operations that we have implemented over the years. History will tell about them. I will only say: the enemy remembered them. And about the most important thing - in what condition I hand over the battlefield. This year, under my command, 700 square kilometers of our land have been liberated. The army, which two years ago waged a heavy defense, is advancing today. I am handing over to my successor an army that is not only on the defensive, but also on the offensive — with initiative, with structure, with people who know how to beat the enemy. And I sincerely hope that this offensive will be continued. Everything is there for this. I thank every soldier, sergeant, and officer with whom I have spent these years. I bow to the families of our fallen. I said it before and I will repeat it today: my job is war. Positions change, but this principle does not. Whatever my status, I will serve Ukraine until Victory. For a long time, they tried to impose on us that Ukrainians are not capable of fighting. We proved that this is not so. Ukraine is defended by a heroic people. Our country will survive if everyone does their job as diligently as the Ukrainian army does. Glory to Ukraine!

Ukraine sees change in military commander-in-chief: What happened in the turbulent 10 days? Key points explained.

Days after protests in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities demanding a change in military leadership, Zelenskyy dismissed the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Oleksandr Sersky, and appointed Mykhailo Drabatiy as his successor.

Klitschko thanked Syrsky for the defense of Kyiv and service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and wished Drapatom success in his position as commander-in-chief Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko thanked General Oleksandr Syrsky for his service, in particular for organizing the defense of the capital in 2022, and wished Mykhailo Drapatom success in his position as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine against the backdrop of the upcoming change in the leadership of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Klychko noted that he got to know Syrsky better in February 2022 during the defense of Kyiv, when it was necessary to make difficult decisions in the face of the offensive of Russian troops. ...

Fedorov reacted to the change of commander-in-chief: Now the expectations of Ukrainians must be justified with a clear vision of ending the war This is new air and new hope in the struggle of free people for freedom and justice, a voice of change that could not be ignored, former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov commented on the decision of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky to appoint Mykhailo Drapaty as the new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine instead of Oleksandr Syrsky. "Now the high expectations of Ukrainians must be justified with a clear vision of ending the War of Independence, a strong command and decisive actions aimed at preserving the lives of our soldiers, robotizing the front, carrying out asymmetric strikes and exhausting the Russian economy," Fedorov wrote in a telegram on Tuesday evening.... #fedorov #ukraine #планы @interfax_uk

Congratulations to Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi on his appointment as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. • • This is a breath of fresh air and a new source of hope in the fight of free people for freedom and justice. It is the voice of change that could no longer be ignored. • • Now, the high expectations of the Ukrainian people must be met with a clear vision for bringing the War of Independence to a successful conclusion, a strong team and decisive action focused on saving the lives of our service members, accelerating the robotization of the battlefield, delivering asymmetric strikes and exhausting Russia’s economy. • • I also called General Oleksandr Syrskyi to thank him for the defense of the Kyiv region, the Kharkiv counteroffensive and other historic battles. • • These achievements are already an important part of Ukraine’s history. • • But now we must move even faster, write the next chapters of that history and correct the mistakes of the past. • • Thank you to everyone who made this possible.

Fedorov reacted to the change of commander-in-chief: congratulated Drapaty and called Syrsky Mykhailo Fedorov congratulated Major General Mykhailo Drapaty on his appointment to the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and outlined key expectations from the new leadership. This is new air and new hope in the struggle of free people for freedom and justice. The voice of change that could not be ignored, — wrote Fedorov. According to him, the new Commander-in-Chief must meet the expectations of Ukrainians with a clear vision of ending the war, a strong command, preserving the lives of soldiers, robotization of the front, asymmetric strikes on the enemy and depletion of the Russian economy. Fedorov also reported that he called Oleksandr Syrsky and thanked him for the defense of the Kyiv region, the Kharkiv operation and other historic battles. We need to move even faster and write new chapters, correcting all previous mistakes.