Zelenskyy appoints Mykhailo Drapatyi as Ukraine's new army chief

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed General Mykhailo Drapatyi as commander-in-chief of the army. Drapatyi listed strikes on Russia's rear areas, air defense, and improving mobilization mechanisms among his priorities.

Scraper SystemJuly 23, 2026, 11:26 AM

Zelenskyy appoints Mykhailo Drapatyi as Ukraine's new army chief

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on July 21, 2026 that General Oleksandr Syrskyi had resigned from the post of commander-in-chief and that he had appointed General Mykhailo Drapatyi in his place. Zelenskyy stated that he and Drapatyi had agreed on the army's priorities, listing strikes on Russia's rear areas, protection of Ukraine's airspace, and improvement of mobilization mechanisms as objectives.

The appointment coincided with a political crisis in Ukraine. Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who had recently resigned, had accused Syrskyi of obstructing reforms and scheming. Fedorov's resignation sparked protests in major cities, especially Kyiv, with demonstrators also demanding Syrskyi's removal.

Mykhailo Drapatyi's military background

The 43-year-old Mykhailo Drapatyi is one of the new generation of Ukrainian commanders who did not serve in the Soviet army. Born in Kamianets-Podilskyi, Drapatyi graduated from the Kharkiv Tank Troops Institute and began his career in the 72nd Mechanized Brigade. He will take the title of the youngest commander-in-chief in modern Ukrainian history from Valerii Zaluzhnyi, who previously assumed the post at age 48.

Drapatyi, who joined the war in Donbas in 2014 with the rank of major, commanded the lead units in the operation to retake the police station in Mariupol. His BMP broke through a barricade set up by separatists, creating one of the war's symbolic moments. That same year, he managed to link his encircled unit near Izvaryne with the main forces after heavy fighting, an achievement that earned him a promotion to lieutenant colonel.

In the full-scale war in 2022, Drapatyi took command of the operational command 'South' and defended Zelenskyy's hometown of Kryvyi Rih. He then played a key role in the Kherson counteroffensive; Ukraine's Defense Ministry described him as 'one of the main organizers of the victory in the battle for Kherson.' In 2024, he commanded troops on the Kharkiv and Luhansk fronts, halting the Russian advance.

The Sumy incident and his rise

In the summer of 2025, Drapatyi resigned from the ground forces command, taking responsibility for the deaths of 12 soldiers killed by a Russian Iskander missile during a training exercise in the Sumy region. However, just two days later, he was appointed to the Joint Forces Command. This post is considered the most critical position in the army after the commander-in-chief and the chief of the general staff.

Drapatyi's relations with former commander-in-chief Syrskyi were strained due to his support for Fedorov's reforms. Ukrainian media reported that Syrskyi had curtailed the popular general's authority because he saw him as a rival. After Fedorov's resignation, Zelenskyy held a series of meetings with top commanders to assess the situation within the army. In the end, Drapatyi emerged as the strongest candidate to replace Syrskyi.

New era and reactions

Immediately upon taking office, Drapatyi made his first appointment, naming Air Assault Forces Commander General Ihor Skybiuk as chief of the general staff. The two had fought together in Kherson in 2022.

Former commander-in-chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi said, 'It will be much harder than he thinks. But he will not be ashamed,' while the resigned minister Mykhailo Fedorov described Drapatyi as 'a breath of fresh air and a source of new hope.' Head of the Presidential Office Kyrylo Budanov also supported the appointment. Ukrainian political scientist Volodymyr Fesenko said the decision was not merely a concession to public pressure, but 'an objective recognition that Drapatyi is one of the most prepared candidates for commander-in-chief.'

Zelenskyy appoints Mykhailo Drapatyi as Ukraine's new army chief