Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrsky and appointed Mykhailo Drapatyi, who previously served as commander of the Joint Forces, to the post. The head of the General Staff, Andriy Hnatov, was replaced by Major General Ihor Skybiuk, commander of the Air Assault Forces, according to The Insider, The Bell, and Krym.Realities.
The appointment came amid a political crisis after the resignation of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. Fedorov publicly stated that he had proposed to Zelensky that Syrsky and Hnatov be dismissed, citing resistance to reforms from the General Staff. According to Fedorov, systemic problems in the army include bureaucracy, manual distribution of weapons, and decision-making based on loyalty rather than data analysis. Drapatyi supported Fedorov's assessment, saying the Defense Ministry often had to push decisions through "despite the system."
Drapatyi, 43, began his combat career in 2014 as a battalion commander. He took part in the raid on Mariupol and the withdrawal of Ukrainian units from the Izvaryne pocket. During the full-scale invasion, he led the defense on the Kryvyi Rih axis, the liberation of Kherson, and the repulsion of the Russian offensive on the Kharkiv axis. In November 2024, he was appointed commander of the Ground Forces, and after a strike on a training ground in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast in June 2025, he resigned, taking responsibility — Zelensky did not accept it and transferred Drapatyi to the position of commander of the Joint Forces.
Spokesperson for the Joint Forces group of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Viktor Trehubov, who knows Drapatyi, described him in an interview with The Insider as a "human computer" capable of tracking all processes in command while delegating tasks and avoiding micromanagement. Trehubov noted that he knows almost no colleagues who have serious complaints about Drapatyi, calling this rare for the Ukrainian army. Ukrainian military expert Oleh Zhdanov assessed the appointment as a "second chance for the Armed Forces of Ukraine" to carry out reforms and meet NATO standards.
Former Defense Minister Fedorov approved the appointment, calling it "a breath of fresh air" and "a voice of change." Ukrainian soldiers and experts generally regard Drapatyi as a competent commander. Russian "war correspondents" describe Drapatyi as "a very difficult opponent who emerged from the war and understands it," Krym.Realities reports.
In his farewell statement, Syrsky reported that under his command in 2026, 700 square kilometers of territory were liberated, and said he was handing over the army "in a state of offensive." Commenting on his appointment, Drapatyi promised to work "responsibly, focused, and with respect for people."