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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has dismissed Army Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi following days of protests against recent reshuffles in the defense leadership. The decision comes shortly after the popular Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov was dismissed, a move that sparked street protests in several cities.
The tensions within the Ukrainian military leadership appear to be directly linked to the conflict between Fedorov and Syrskyi. Fedorov was regarded in Ukraine as an energetic reformer who sought to modernize the military and the ministry while simultaneously stepping up the fight against corruption. Syrskyi, on the other hand, was seen by critics as a more traditional, Soviet-style commander who was not open enough to radical changes. In his farewell message on Telegram, Syrskyi said that under his leadership, the army had transitioned from a difficult defensive phase to an offensive posture. He emphasized that he is leaving behind an army that is not only holding its ground but also advancing. Zelensky later thanked him on social media for his military role, including in the defense of Kyiv during the first days of the Russian invasion in 2022.
Syrskyi will be succeeded by Mykhailo Drapatyi, a 43-year-old general who is considered popular and battle-hardened in Ukraine. Drapatyi said he will carry out his duties with responsibility and respect for the military and thanked Syrskyi for his contribution to strengthening the army. Zelensky also announced that he had spoken with Fedorov that same day and offered him a “dignified position” in the government, though it is not yet clear whether Fedorov has accepted the position. According to the president, Drapatyi and the current acting defense minister, Yevhenii Khmara , must now work together on a new defense strategy.
Fedorov himself welcomed Drapatyi’s appointment as “new hope” and called it “the voice of change that could not be ignored.” With this move, Zelensky appears to have averted the most intense political pressure from the streets for the time being, though unrest continues to surround Ukraine’s defense leadership.
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