Ukraine President Zelensky Dismisses Army Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, Appoints Mykhailo Drapatyi

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has removed the country's army chief (Commander-in-Chief) Oleksandr Syrskyi from his post. This decision comes a few days after the removal of popular Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. Fedorov's dismissal had led to a series of street protests across the country.

Initially, there were rumors that Fedorov's term was ending due to a dispute with Syrskyi. These rumors were later confirmed.

The 35-year-old Fedorov was widely praised for his work in activating the ministry, bringing transformation to the armed forces, and leading the campaign against corruption. The 60-year-old Syrskyi, on the other hand, was seen by many in Ukraine as a Soviet-style military commander who was reluctant to implement radical changes in the army.

In his place, 43-year-old Mykhailo Drapatyi has been appointed, who is considered a popular general with combat experience. In a video message posted on social media on Tuesday night, Zelensky thanked Syrskyi for his service in various military operations, including the successful defense of the capital Kyiv when Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022.

Zelensky also revealed on the same day that he had met with Fedorov and offered him a 'respectable position within the government'. However, he did not disclose whether Fedorov had accepted the offer.

Last week, Yevheniy Hmara, a former high-ranking official of Ukraine's Security Service (SBU), was appointed to replace Fedorov. 'All decisions will be formally implemented tomorrow,' Zelensky added in his post.

Meanwhile, Mykhailo Fedorov congratulated Drapatyi on his new responsibility, calling his appointment 'new hope in the struggle of free people for freedom and justice'.

He also stated that this was a 'voice of change that cannot be ignored'.

Fedorov also revealed that he had called Syrskyi to thank him for his contribution to the defense of the Kyiv region and other 'historic battles'.

'But now we must move forward at an even faster pace, correct all past mistakes, and write a new chapter,' he added.

Fedorov was appointed Defense Minister only in January of this year. However, he received widespread praise for his efforts to analyze and improve frontline performance using data.

Previously, as Minister of Digital Transformation, he established the volunteer 'IT Army of Ukraine' immediately after Russia's full-scale invasion and conducted cyberattacks against Russia.

Later, he led a successful fundraising campaign called 'Army of Drones'. He also introduced the concept of 'gamification' in warfare, developing a system of awarding points (credits) to Ukrainian military units attacking Russian military targets.

Following Fedorov's removal, widespread protests occurred across the country for six consecutive days. During this time, pressure mounted on President Zelensky to also remove Syrskyi. By appointing Drapatyi as the new army chief, Zelensky appears to have succumbed to that pressure. Drapatyi is considered a young commander with innovative thinking. He is also believed to be a close friend of Fedorov.

With Fedorov openly supporting Drapatyi, the political crisis that began last week is expected to subside to some extent.

For now, Hmara remains in office as the acting Defense Minister. President Zelensky has instructed Hmara and Drapatyi to prepare a new defense strategy that includes key issues such as improving the military command system, arms supply, and drone strategy.

Syrskyi has not yet made any public comments on the recent developments. In an article published on the Militarny website on Monday, he stated regarding his relationship with Fedorov, 'I considered our relationship to be professional.' 'If I have offended anyone, Mykhailo Albertovych (Fedorov), I apologize,' he wrote.

Regarding the protests in various Ukrainian cities, he said that issues such as military agreements, procurement processes, and troop deployment are not as simple as the protesters' slogans suggest. 'Decisions on which people's lives depend are not made based on slogans,' he said. 'The war is won by real work, not public spectacle,' Syrskyi wrote.

Protesters still want to see Fedorov in a position of real authority so that he can continue to advance Ukraine's innovation campaign in the war against Russia.

If he receives such a responsibility, President Zelensky will be successful in mitigating the immediate damage. However, since many people believe the initial decision was wrong, it is unlikely that he will be easily forgiven.