A major reshuffle has taken place within the Ukrainian military and political bloc. In his evening address on July 21, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the decision to replace the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Lieutenant General Mykhailo Drapatyi has been appointed to replace Oleksandr Syrskyi, who held the post.
The end of the Syrskyi and Hnatov era
The decision to change the command was the culmination of a series of personnel changes. Simultaneously, Andriy Hnatov was dismissed from his position as Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The Lieutenant General, appointed to this post in March 2025, leaves his position after only a few months of service. Hnatov, a graduate of the Kharkiv Tank Troops Institute (2001), is known as an experienced commander: from 2018 to 2021, he headed the 36th Separate Marine Brigade. For his service, he was awarded the title of Full Cavalier of the Bohdan Khmelnytsky Order, as well as the Cross of Military Merit and the Medal "For Military Service to Ukraine".
Reasons: from conflict to protests
The change in army leadership was not sudden. It was preceded by serious personnel changes in the Cabinet of Ministers, which provoked a wave of public protests. The President decided to update the composition of the government, which led to the resignation of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. It was precisely this appointment that caused a stormy reaction from society: people demanded the return of Fedorov to the Ministry of Defense, and subsequently, the demands expanded to include the replacement of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
As the President himself reported, there was a serious conflict between the former Defense Minister Fedorov and Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi. This fact was confirmed by Mykhailo Fedorov himself, stating that while still in office, he had proposed to Zelensky to replace Syrskyi. Thus, the decision to change the command became a logical consequence of internal struggle and public pressure.
What next for Fedorov?
The fate of Mykhailo Fedorov after his dismissal remains open. It is known that the President offered him options for further cooperation, however, Fedorov refused them. At the moment, it is ultimately unknown what exactly the former Defense Minister will be doing, but his departure from the post became a catalyst for a major reorganization of the country's military leadership.
