The Ukrainian command is undergoing a personnel reshuffle at the very top of the military hierarchy. Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi officially becomes the new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Behind him are not only years of service but also participation in key battles that have become symbols of resistance: breaking out of encirclement, halting the enemy's offensive, and liberating territories.
From the "Flying BMP" to the rank of General
The military path of the 43-year-old Drapatyi began in the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade. In May 2014, at the height of the initial phase of the Russian aggression, he commanded the 2nd battalion, which participated in the liberation of hostages in Mariupol. It was during this period that the event known as the "Flying BMP" took place. On Drapatyi's orders, while inside the vehicle, the armored personnel carrier rammed and flew over a barricade of pro-Russian militants at high speed.
In the summer of 2014, his unit found itself in a tight ring of fire near the border of the Luhansk region. Under constant artillery shelling from Russian territory, Drapatyi took responsibility and led 260 fighters and more than 30 pieces of equipment out of the "Izvarin Cauldron," covering 160 kilometers under fire.
The path to the top: from Bakhmut to the Ground Forces
In subsequent years, he led the 58th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade, participating in battles in Avdiivka and on the Bakhmut highway. His professionalism was recognized internationally: while studying at the National Defense University, he was awarded the Queen of the United Kingdom's Sword of Honour as the best graduate.
Drapatyi met the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022 as the Deputy Commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In October 2024, he was awarded the rank of Major General. And already in November of the same year, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed him Commander of the Ground Forces, replacing Oleksandr Pavlyuk in this position. The President then specifically noted the effective organization of defense in the Kharkiv direction under Drapatyi's leadership.
Recent appointments and a new role
In June 2025, Drapatyi resigned from the post of Commander of the Ground Forces following a series of Russian strikes on training centers. However, his career did not end: following a conversation with the President, he moved to the position of Commander of the Joint Forces, which he held until today. Now, becoming the Commander-in-Chief, he takes responsibility for all the armed forces of the country.
