news

Ukraine’s new commander-in-chief, Mykhailo Drapatyi draws reactions from Kyiv, Moscow, and the West — including visible concern from Russian war bloggers

Source: Meduza

Mykhailo Drapatyi became commander in chief of Ukraine’s armed forces on the evening of July 21, replacing Oleksandr Syrskyi. The appointment capped a conflict between Syrskyi and Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov: Zelensky fired Fedorov, prompting protesters to take to the streets on the ex-minister’s behalf, and Syrskyi’s resignation followed. Drapatyi has a reputation as a new-generation commander who — unlike Syrskyi — welcomes initiative from the ranks and tries to keep his soldiers alive. Here’s what else commentators are saying about Ukraine’s incoming and outgoing commanders in chief.

Ukraine

Volodymyr Zelensky

president of Ukraine

The fact is that Oleksandr Syrskyi delivered results for Ukraine in the defense of Kyiv, in the Kharkiv offensive operation, and in the Kursk operation. We have come a long way, Ukraine’s defense continues, and every soldier deserves to be treated with dignity. I am grateful to Oleksandr Syrskyi and to every one of our warriors for Ukraine’s strong front-line positions.

Mykhailo Fedorov

Ukraine’s former defense minister

Congratulations to Major General Drapatyi on his appointment as commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces! This is a breath of fresh air and a new hope in the struggle of free people for freedom and justice. […] Now Ukrainians’ high expectations must be met with a clear vision for ending the war for independence, a strong team, and decisive action aimed at preserving our warriors’ lives, robotizing the front, delivering asymmetric strikes, and exhausting the Russian economy.

I called General Oleksandr Syrskyi and thanked him for the defense of the Kyiv region, for the Kharkiv operation, and for other historic battles. That is already an important part of Ukraine’s history. But we need to move even faster and write new chapters, correcting all the mistakes that came before.

Valerii Zaluzhnyi

Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Kingdom and former commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces

The cause to which we devote our whole lives is filled, above all, with the moral principles and values that form honor. Honor that is dearer than any position or award. […] The new commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces will have a very hard time of it — far harder than he imagines. But Mykhailo will certainly never be ashamed. A man of honor has no idols, and so he has nothing to lose. The only thing he has is his duty.

Vitali Klitschko

mayor of Kyiv

I want to thank General Oleksandr Syrskyi. […] One can voice grievances and criticism, but when it comes to a combat general, perhaps only military men can do that — those who understand the essence of the processes and the situation on the battlefield. Because Syrskyi carried out his duty without television cameras, interviews, or posts on social media. A difficult duty, given the situation in which he had to work. […] I wish the new commander-in-chief success in overcoming the challenges of this great new responsibility.

Serhii Sternenko

volunteer and activist

Thank you to everyone who spoke out and made demands. Thank you to everyone who wasn’t afraid. Thank you to the president for a wise decision. Drapatyi is a very worthy commander-in-chief.

Serhii Hnezdilov

soldier in the 56th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade

Oleksandr Syrskyi is not a demon incarnate, and he’s not a monster. That is exactly how he was taught to fight, and he had mastered that science to perfection. […] Yes, he made a mess of things and racked up mistakes, like anyone carrying an enormous burden of responsibility. […] But one way or another, books will be written about him and his contradictions — they’ll call it the Syrskyi era.

I hope Drapatyi takes his predecessor’s mistakes into account. I believe the army will now give priority to different approaches: professionalism, putting people first, preserving personnel, and inflicting maximum damage on the enemy — not defending scraps of land at a disproportionate cost in losses. […] The army badly needs change.

Serhii Marchenko

soldier and blogger

I’m glad that Syrskyi is going, and I won’t grieve for him. Too many human lives have been laid down for his style of command. Drapatyi is no fluffy bunny, either. He’s a stern commander who knows how to get results from his personnel. But there’s one essential difference. Drapatyi starts by demanding answers from himself. And unlike his predecessor, he does not cling to posts.

[…] I’ll remind you that these changes happened solely thanks to the Ukrainian people, who took to the streets in protest and forced Zelensky to change his decision — and to change Syrskyi, who had devoured Fedorov.

Russia

Dmitry Peskov

press secretary to the Russian president

That’s not for us to comment on. I don’t think it will lead to any changes at the front. The dynamic there is well known: Russia’s Armed Forces are continuing offensive operations along the entire length of the front. All these upheavals… The Kyiv regime is being shaken from within — it’s obvious, plain to the naked eye.

Aleksandr Sladkov

war correspondent for the Russian state television network VGTRK

Will the pattern of Ukrainian operations change with a new commander-in-chief? How is it supposed to change when, instead of paints, there is only black soot? What is there to paint with? After our strikes on Ukraine’s rear areas, the Ukrainian army’s supply situation is headed nowhere good — no matter how many times they hit [the Russian online retailer] Wildberries in response.

Alexander Kots

“war correspondent” for the pro-Kremlin Russian tabloid Komsomolskaya Pravda

Zelensky has caved again — and shown Ukraine’s commander-in-chief the door. He swapped Syrskyi for Drapatyi, Ukraine’s military chain of command is being rattled once more in the middle of active fighting, and the man who set off the “cardboard Maidan” remains in the system.

Yuri Podolyaka

pro-war Russian blogger

By the way, Drapatyi is only 43. And he began this war as a battalion commander! That’s bad for us. A general who came up through this war and understands it makes a very difficult opponent.

Rybar

pro-war Russian Telegram channel

On the one hand, the 43-year-old Drapatyi does look like a more dangerous adversary than Syrskyi, who — not without reason — became the subject of countless Russian memes and a target of criticism in the Ukrainian press. But in the fifth year of the war, the main problems facing Ukraine’s armed forces (and not only Ukraine’s, for that matter) do not come down to the commander-in-chief’s personality. Reshuffling generals won’t fix troop numbers and quality, air-defense missile stocks, or offensive potential.

Povernutye na Voine (“Obsessed With War”)

pro-war Russian Telegram channel

Syrskyi has been ousted. Say what you will — he was a dangerous enemy with a solid military education.

The West

Rob Lee

senior fellow at the U.S.-based Foreign Policy Research Institute

Drapatyi is an excellent choice. […] As Land Forces commander, Drapatyi began to institute a series of reforms to improve the culture, including officers taking responsibility. […] He is a critic of Soviet-style thinking and micromanagement, and he recognizes the problems with lying inside the military. […] But it is important to note that there is no easy fix to the problems with mobilization, which remains the most pressing issue.

Mick Ryan

senior fellow at Australia’s Lowy Institute

Drapatyi has built a reputation as a modern, soldier-focused commander who seeks input from his subordinates, supports innovation — including the initial development of Ukraine’s drone line — and accepts responsibility when things go wrong. He resigned as Ground Forces commander in 2025 after Russian strikes killed troops at a training ground, a rare act of accountability in any army.