In Kyiv, a series of personnel changes in the military department has concluded. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy officially signed a decree appointing Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU). The document was published on the President's Office website, as reported by RBC-Ukraine.

Background of the appointment: protests and personnel purges

The decision to change the command was announced by the head of state during his evening address on July 21. This event marked the culmination of a tense week in Kyiv characterized by mass protests. Initially, the rallies began with demands to reinstate the dismissed Minister of Defense, Mykhailo Fedorov. However, as the rallies progressed, the protesters' demands expanded to include the resignation of the current Commander-in-Chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy had previously explained the cause of the conflict within the defense ministry, stating that Fedorov and Syrskyi could not work together and failed to maintain dialogue without the President's mediation. In the days leading up to the appointment, the head of state held a series of meetings with the general staff and corps leadership. The media actively discussed rumors of a "casting" process and the existence of a list of 11 candidates for the vacant position.

Who is Mykhailo Drapatyi

The new Commander-in-Chief is Mykhailo Drapatyi — an experienced military officer, Major General, recipient of the Cross of Military Merit, and a full knight of the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky. His name became widely known to Ukrainian society due to footage captured during the fighting for Mariupol. On May 9, 2014, Drapatyi, commanding a BMP-2, performed a heroic breakthrough through a separatist checkpoint, which subsequently became a symbol of the courage of Ukrainian soldiers.

The path to the top

Drapatyi's career demonstrates consistent growth up the service ladder and diverse command experience. In recent years, he has led key operational and tactical formations. Among his most recent and significant positions are:

  • Commander of the Joint Forces of the AFU (2025–2026);
  • Commander of the "Dnipro" Joint Strategic Group of Forces (2025);
  • Commander of the Ground Forces of the AFU (2024–2025);
  • Commander of the Operational Tactical Groups "Luhansk" and "Kharkiv" (2024);
  • Deputy Chief of the General Staff for military training (February – November 2024);
  • Commander of the "Kherson" Operational Command of Forces (2022–2024).

His path began with commanding the 58th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade from 2012 to 2016. Now, having replaced Oleksandr Syrskyi, Drapatyi takes on the responsibility of overall leadership of the army amidst the ongoing conflict.