Zelenskyy replaces Ukraine’s military chief after protests over strategy

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has put Maj. Gen. Mykhailo Drapatyi in charge of Ukraine’s armed forces after a week of protests over wartime strategy, NPR reported. The move puts a younger commander associated with battlefield technology at the top of the military as Ukraine faces Russia’s continuing attacks.

Zelenskyy dismissed Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi late Tuesday and named Drapatyi as commander-in-chief, according to NPR. In a video address cited by NPR, Zelenskyy thanked Syrskyi for his role in defending Kyiv early in Russia’s full-scale invasion and in reclaiming parts of northeastern Ukraine in 2022.

Drapatyi, 43, is widely seen as a reform-minded officer from a younger, post-Soviet generation of Ukrainian commanders, NPR reported. After his appointment, Drapatyi wrote on Facebook that the job ahead would be difficult and that he would focus on responsibility to soldiers holding the line.

Protests followed a wider shakeup

The command change came after Zelenskyy removed Mykhailo Fedorov as defense minister on July 15, a decision that NPR reported triggered demonstrations across Ukraine. Fedorov, 35, had been credited with pushing drone-heavy tactics and technology changes in Ukraine’s military.

Zelenskyy told reporters last week that Fedorov and Syrskyi often disagreed over military priorities and reform, according to NPR. Fedorov said the military establishment around Syrskyi moved too slowly on technology initiatives and arms procurement changes.

Rob Lee, a Kyiv-based military analyst and former U.S. Marine officer, told NPR that casting the dispute as pro-drone versus anti-drone was too simple. Lee said Syrskyi understood drones’ role in modern war, while Fedorov wanted reforms to happen faster than Syrskyi did.

Drones are central to the dispute

Ukraine has expanded its use of drones across the war, NPR reported. Its long-range drones have hit Russian oil and gas sites, mid-range drones have targeted Russian supply routes in occupied Ukraine, and Ukrainian drones have intercepted many attack drones launched at Ukrainian cities.

NPR reported that Drapatyi helped develop the “drone line,” a concept that uses surveillance and attack drones to create a lethal zone near the front. Land drones, or unmanned ground vehicles, are also replacing some infantry roles on the front line, according to NPR.

Syrskyi exits after two years in command

Syrskyi had led the armed forces since February 2024, when Zelenskyy replaced Valerii Zaluzhnyi after disputes over strategy and mobilization, NPR reported. Syrskyi had previously headed Ukraine’s ground forces and was respected for his work ethic, though NPR reported some soldiers criticized him over the costly 2023 fight for Bakhmut.

In posts cited by NPR, Syrskyi said he had no conflict with Fedorov and apologized for any personal disputes. He later wrote that he was relinquishing his post and would continue serving Ukraine.

Drapatyi takes over under pressure

Drapatyi became known in 2014 after Russian-backed forces tried to seize Mariupol, NPR reported. As a battalion commander in the 72nd brigade, he drove an armored vehicle through a Russian barricade, according to NPR.

He became Ukraine’s youngest land forces commander in 2024, NPR reported. The next year, he submitted his resignation after a Russian strike on an army training center and called for accountability inside the military.

Lee told NPR that Drapatyi is popular with soldiers in part because he listens to younger troops. Lee also said Drapatyi will face major challenges, including mobilization reform.

Moscow plays down the move

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Drapatyi’s appointment would not change the battlefield situation, NPR reported, citing Russian state media. Russian state media also reported that authorities issued an arrest warrant for Drapatyi hours after he was named.

Russia is firing more ballistic missiles at Ukrainian cities, NPR reported. Ukraine has built drones and electronic warfare systems that counter many attack drones, but NPR reported those defenses are less effective against fast-moving missiles.

Since Russia began its full-scale invasion in February 2022, the U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has confirmed more than 16,000 civilian deaths, according to NPR. Protests over Fedorov’s removal are expected to continue outside Zelenskyy’s office, with organizer and veteran Dmytro Koziatynskyi saying demonstrators want Fedorov returned to the defense ministry.

This story draws on original reporting from NPR.