KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has moved to replace the country’s top military commander following several days of public protests and mounting criticism of Ukraine’s wartime leadership.
Zelensky appointed Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, replacing General Oleksandr Syrskyi in the country’s most significant military leadership shake-up since 2024.
The decision followed demonstrations in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities demanding Syrskyi’s dismissal and the return of former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, a popular reformer credited with modernizing Ukraine’s military technology and expanding its use of drones.
The protests began after Zelensky dismissed Fedorov during a wider government restructuring. Demonstrators accused Ukraine’s military leadership of resisting reform, relying on outdated tactics and failing to place sufficient value on soldiers’ lives.
In a social media statement issued before the leadership change, Zelensky said that “decisions regarding the army will be worked out” after holding discussions with Fedorov and Syrskyi.
The president subsequently met several senior military officers as he considered changes to the command structure. Drapatyi, who has held important battlefield and leadership positions, emerged as a leading candidate during those consultations.
According to a post on Zelensky’s official social media account, the president continued discussions with experienced commanders and received reports about battlefield conditions, Russian military activity and the enemy’s plans.
“I am grateful for their proposals,” Zelensky wrote in a separate post discussing his consultations with Ukrainian commanders.
Fedorov also addressed the growing public pressure through social media. He said that “there is a dialogue” and that “changes will definitely happen,” while thanking supporters, military personnel and veterans defending the country.
Syrskyi had faced criticism over battlefield losses, his command style and what opponents described as an unwillingness to embrace technological reforms. Supporters, however, pointed to his long military experience and argued that changing commanders during an active war could further disrupt Ukraine’s armed forces.
Drapatyi is viewed as representing a younger generation of combat-tested Ukrainian commanders. He has previously criticized failures in military accountability and called for a command culture that learns from battlefield mistakes.
The leadership change comes as Ukraine continues defending itself against Russian attacks while attempting to maintain public confidence, military unity and support from international allies.
Although Zelensky’s decision meets one of the protesters’ central demands, questions remain over whether Fedorov will return to the Defence Ministry. Reports indicate he was offered another senior national-security position but remained interested in returning to his former post.
The demonstrations were among the most significant public protests Ukraine has experienced since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. The unrest highlighted growing demands for transparency, modernization and accountability within the country’s wartime government and military leadership.
Drapatyi now takes command at a critical moment, facing the immediate responsibility of strengthening Ukraine’s battlefield strategy, restoring confidence within the armed forces and addressing public demands for meaningful military reform.