Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy fired army commander-in-chief Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi on July 21, 2026, replacing him with Maj.
Gen. Mykhailo Drapatyi.
The decision came after days of nationwide protests sparked by the removal of a popular defense minister.
Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in Kyiv and other major cities. They demanded Syrskyi's removal and the reinstatement of former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.
Protesters criticized Syrskyi for an outdated, Soviet-style command culture and heavy-handed tactics. They pointed to severe casualties, including during the defense of Bakhmut.
Alongside Drapatyi's appointment, Zelenskyy named Maj. Gen.
Ihor Skybyuk as the new Chief of the General Staff.
The president tasked the new leadership with updating Ukraine's defense strategy, reforming the corps system, accelerating drone and weapons procurement, and establishing a clearer mobilization framework.
"Our shared wish is one — victory over the enemy and conditions at the front and in pressure on Russia that would force Russia toward peace," Zelenskyy said.
Zelenskyy praised Syrskyi for his role in defending the capital and organizing successful counteroffensives in Kharkiv and Kursk.
"I am grateful to Oleksandr Syrskyi and to every one of our warriors for Ukraine's strong front-line positions," he said.
The president also offered Fedorov a position to lead national technology initiatives. It remained unconfirmed whether Fedorov accepted.
Newly appointed commander Drapatyi, a 43-year-old decorated general, pledged to prioritize unit resilience and troop welfare.
"I will work responsibly, with focus and with respect for the people defending our state today," Drapatyi said.
He acknowledged his predecessor's years of service.
Before his dismissal, Syrskyi defended his tenure. He rejected claims that he opposed modern tactics or drone adoption.
"If I offended anyone, Mykhailo Albertovych, I'm sorry," Syrskyi said. He warned against rapid, untested structural experiments during active warfare.
"I can't switch a million-people army to drones in two months and say, 'Now this is how we're going to fight,'" Syrskyi said.
He emphasized that military operations demand rigorous planning. "Decisions on which people's lives depend are not made with slogans."
Syrskyi stressed that structural reforms require thorough preparation. "Behind each slide there should be a document, a budget and a procedure," he said.
Reflecting on the conflict, he added, "The frontline is my life."
Fedorov welcomed the command change as a vital shift toward modernization and troop safety.
"This is a new wind and a new hope in the struggle of free people for freedom and justice," he said.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Moscow does not expect the leadership changes to alter battlefield dynamics.
