Zelenskyy sacks Army Chief Syrsky after days of protests
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has dismissed Army Chief Oleksandr Syrsky following internal political tensions and public protests. Mykhailo Drapaty has been appointed as the new Commander-in-Chief to lead the military efforts.
Why it matters
This leadership change signals significant internal instability within the Ukrainian government and military during a critical phase of the ongoing war with Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday (July 22, 2026) sacked his Soviet-trained army chief Oleksandr Syrsky following a political crisis triggered by the removal of a popular, young and tech-savvy defence minister.
The Ukrainian leader announced he was appointing joint forces commander Mykhailo Drapaty in his place.
Mr. Syrsky, 60, had served in the role since 2024 and was among Kyiv's most experienced commanders, having led the defence of Kyiv at the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.
His removal came after days of protests in support of ousted Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who accused Mr. Syrsky of forcing him out and stalling his attempt to reform the military.
"I have decided that the new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will be Mykhailo Drapaty," Mr. Zelenskyy said in a post on Telegram.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in