What to know about Ukraine's military shakeup
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appointed Mykhailo Drapatyi as the new armed forces commander, replacing Oleksandr Syrskyi. The move follows public dissatisfaction with military strategy and a push toward a more tech-focused, drone-centric approach to the war.
Why it matters
Leadership changes in the Ukrainian military signal a strategic pivot toward modern, tech-integrated warfare in the ongoing conflict with Russia.
KYIV — After a week of nationwide protests over the direction of Ukraine's military strategy in the ongoing war with Russia, the Ukrainian military has a new armed forces commander, Mykhailo Drapatyi.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy named Drapatyi to replace military chief Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, whom he fired late Tuesday.
"There is a difficult task ahead, so we are not making loud promises," Drapatyi wrote in a Facebook post after his appointment was announced. "We are working with responsibility for our decisions and for the people who hold the front line and help Ukraine stand firm."
The 43-year-old major general, widely viewed as a reformer, takes the reins at a time of political and military transition in Ukraine. He is also the face of a younger, post-Soviet generation of military leaders in Ukraine who are adapting more quickly to a tech-focused approach to the battlefield.
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