President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday dismissed Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi as commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces and announced a successor, moving after several days of large demonstrations in Kyiv and other cities calling for the top general to be removed.
The shake-up marks the second major reversal Zelensky has made in response to public pressure in the streets, following protests last summer that pushed him to roll back legislation that would have weakened Ukraine’s anti-corruption watchdogs.
In a statement posted on social media, Zelensky said Mykhailo Drapatyi would take over as the country’s new army chief. “Our shared wish is one — victory over the enemy and conditions at the front and in pressure on Russia that would force Russia toward peace,” he said.
Zelensky said the decision followed a series of consultations with military commanders. Those meetings began soon after protests erupted, with demonstrators demanding the return of former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, whom they viewed as a key force behind military modernization, and the ouster of Syrskyi, whom they associated with an older, Soviet-style command culture.
At the same time, Zelensky expressed gratitude to Syrskyi for his role in Ukraine’s war effort against Russia, citing the defense of Kyiv as well as operations in Kharkiv and Kursk.
“I am grateful to Oleksandr Syrskyi and to every one of our warriors for Ukraine’s strong front-line positions,” Zelensky said. “I am grateful to Mykhailo Drapatyi for holding that same view.”
Drapatyi, writing on Facebook, said that serving Ukraine “has always been an honor for me, and during this war for independence, it means absolute responsibility.” He also thanked Syrskyi for his steady work to strengthen Ukraine’s military.
“I grew up in it,” Drapatyi wrote of the armed forces. “I will work responsibly, with focus and with respect for the people defending our state today.”
Zelensky said Drapatyi and other commanders must present an updated defense strategy, including continued reform of the corps system, faster weapons and drone deliveries, stronger air defense against Russian strikes and a clearer mobilization plan.
Former defense minister’s future in the government remains unclear
Zelensky met separately with Fedorov on Tuesday and offered him what he called a respected position in the government that would unify the country’s technology sector. It wasn’t clear if Fedorov accepted the offer — or whether the latest moves would satisfy protesters and calm the streets.
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Fedorov congratulated Drapatyi, calling the appointment “new hope in the fight of free people for freedom and justice” and “a voice for change that could not go unheard.”
Fedorov had criticized Syrskyi publicly before his dismissal, saying the general was blocking his reform efforts and needed to be replaced for Ukraine not to fail in its resistance against Russia. He said Ukrainians’ high expectations must now be met with a clear vision for ending the war, decisive action to preserve soldiers’ lives, expand robotic warfare at the front, strike asymmetrically and exhaust Russia’s economy.
Fedorov called Syrskyi to thank him for defending the Kyiv region, the Kharkiv operation and other battles, calling it “already an important part of Ukraine’s history” but adding that the country must “move even faster and write new chapters, correcting all previous mistakes.”
The army chief’s dismissal was sparked by protests
The crisis began last Thursday, when Zelensky overhauled his wartime government, replacing his prime minister and firing Mykhailo Fedorov as defense minister after just six months in the post.
Zelensky cited an unworkable rift between Fedorov and Syrskyi, telling reporters that as the two couldn’t resolve their dispute, he would “have to resolve it.”
Following his dismissal, Fedorov publicly accused Syrskyi of blocking military reforms and fostering a top-down command culture, criticism that echoed complaints from soldiers and veterans over heavy casualties in costly front-line assaults.
The reshuffle immediately drew thousands of protesters into the streets of Kyiv and other cities, framing Fedorov’s removal as Zelensky siding with an entrenched military old guard over a reformer.
The backlash promptly spread to inside the military: the Air Force’s deputy commander resigned in protest, warning the move would weaken Ukraine’s air defenses; veterans and soldiers on leave joined the protests in Kyiv and other cities, and numerous public figures among soldiers spoke out publicly against Syrskyi on social media.
Criticism of the military chief had escalated
Syrskyi has long been associated with a Soviet-style, top-down command culture, and many protesters said they wanted a new generation of generals who would place a higher priority on preserving soldiers’ lives.
Within the military, Syrskyi has earned the gruesome nickname of “Butcher,” which particularly spread during his command of the defense of Bakhmut, one of the war’s longest and costliest battles.
His already precarious public standing eroded further after Ukrainian outlet Babel published an investigation in June detailing allegations of abuse within the Skelia assault regiment, a unit closely associated with Syrskyi that has reportedly suffered higher-than-average battlefield losses. The investigation documented dozens of deaths among recruits.
