Breaking: Zelensky dismisses Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi after widespread protests, appoints Drapatyi

President Volodymyr Zelensky on July 21 dismissed the Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, appointing Joint Forces Commander Mykhailo Drapatyi as his replacement.

The move comes amid ongoing mass protests in Kyiv and across Ukraine, in which demonstrators have demanded that Syrskyi be removed from his post.

Zelensky thanked Syrskyi for his service, praising his role in some of Ukraine's most significant military operations during the full-scale war.

"Oleksandr Syrskyi ensured Ukraine's results in the defense of Kyiv, the Kharkiv counteroffensive, and the Kursk operation," Zelensky said.

"A significant path has been traveled. The defense of Ukraine continues, and every warrior deserves dignified treatment. I am grateful to Oleksandr Syrskyi and to every one of our soldiers for Ukraine's strong frontline positions," he added.

Public anger at Syrskyi erupted after Zelensky ousted popular reformist Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov last week.

Fedorov said during a press conference the day after his ouster that Syrskyi had issued an ultimatum to Zelensky.

Ukrainians have held daily protests since July 16, opposing the removal of Fedorov, one of the country's youngest and most popular senior officials. One of the protest's organizers, veteran Dmytro Koziatynskyi, told the Kyiv Independent on July 20 the movement now had two clear demands: reinstating Fedorov as defense minister and removing Syrskyi as commander-in-chief.

Tensions between the two had been expected since Fedorov's appointment and reflected different approaches to military leadership and organizational culture.

Syrskyi has favored a highly centralized command structure rooted in Soviet military doctrine. He has faced criticism from soldiers and analysts for micromanagement and for fostering what critics describe as a Soviet-style command culture.

Zelensky's latest decisions have drawn criticism from lawmakers, veterans, and members of the public, many of whom have argued that removing Fedorov risks undermining reforms at the Defense Ministry while leaving concerns about military leadership.

Drapatyi, 43, has earned a reputation as one of Ukraine's most respected senior commanders and was widely viewed by protesters, soldiers, and veterans as the leading candidate to replace Syrskyi.

Unlike Syrskyi's centralized command style, Drapatyi has advocated greater initiative among subordinate commanders, faster decision-making, and greater accountability within the military.

He publicly backed Fedorov's reform efforts after his dismissal, arguing that "the military needs change" and warning that "a commander has no right to remain silent about problems" when people's lives are at stake.

Drapatyi thanked Zelensky for entrusting him with the role, calling it a new stage of service and pledging to lead with responsibility.

"Serving Ukraine has always been an honor for me, and during the war for independence it means absolute responsibility," Drapatyi said in a Facebook post following the announcement.

"I will work responsibly, with focus, and with respect for the people who are defending our state today."

Fedorov welcomed Drapatyi's appointment, calling it "new air and new hope in the struggle of free people for freedom and justice."

"This is the voice of change that could not go unheard," Fedorov added.

Syrskyi was born in the tiny Russian village of Novinki, Vladimir Oblast, in 1965. Syrskyi's father served in the Soviet Army and was transferred to Kharkiv, in the then-Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, when Syrskyi was 15.

His reputation and unpopularity among large sections of the military made him a controversial choice to replace the widely popular Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi on Feb. 8, 2024.

The assault forces — and particularly Syrsky's favoured 425th Assault Regiment, "Skala," — gained a reputation for the brutal treatment of mobilized soldiers and unsophisticated brute force assaults, which frequently resulted in heavily Ukrainian casualties.