Zelenskyy names Mykhailo Drapatyi as new commander-in-chief

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday named a young ​major general, Mykhailo Drapatyi, as the commander-in-chief of Ukraine's military after days of street protests, marking the biggest shake-up in ‌the country's military leadership since its conflict with Russia began.

Zelenskyy replaced Oleksandr Syrskyi, 60, with Drapatyi, 43, a commander who led the country's land forces from 2024 to 2025 and is described as a general of a new generation.

Last week, Zelenskyy's government reshuffle and dismissal of tech-savvy reformist Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, 35, after ​just half a year in office, stirred concerns among analysts that Ukraine's recent battlefield momentum could be lost.

Ukraine has been trying ​to gain the upper hand in the conflict by heavily striking Russia's energy sector and logistics.

"The operations of the Ukrainian Defense Forces are ongoing and must continue steadily. Ukraine's plan for long-range sanctions and our program ​of middle-range strikes will be carried out with absolute precision," Zelenskyy said as he introduced Drapatyi.

The surprise government reshuffle last week led to a political ​crisis that exposed weaknesses in Ukraine's domestic governing due to the lack of elections during the conflict.

Drapatyi seen as voice of change

Drapatyi's appointment follows days of protests sparked by what critics said were poorly explained changes in government and reflects the position of Ukrainians who see the use of technology as key to winning the conflict. His ​career was shaped fighting Russian troops for more than a decade.

Syrskyi played a key role in Kyiv's defense in the early days of the ​conflict and has been in his post since early 2024.

But he has also faced harsh criticism for a rigid command style, which some service members have said ‌resulted ⁠in unjustifiably high troop losses.

Voices against him have surfaced periodically, but last week's reshuffle brought out into the open the deep divisions in the Ukrainian defense leadership.

Critics had accused Zelenskyy of favoring Syrskyi over Fedorov in a conflict between the two, and analysts questioned whether Ukraine could win the conflict, now well into its fifth year, under Syrskyi's leadership.

"I will work responsibly, with full focus, and with respect for the people who are defending ​our country today," Drapatyi said on ​Facebook.

Fedorov, whose return to office was ⁠one of the protesters' main demands, welcomed the appointment.

Fedorov's fate remained unclear. Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that he offered him a "decent post" to oversee the technological component of the state, but the former minister has previously said that he ⁠only wants ​his old job back.

Last week, Zelenskyy chose Yevhenii Khmara, who was acting head of ​Ukraine's domestic security service, to become acting defense minister.