President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday fired Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi as commander-in-chief and appointed Mykhailo Drapatyi after days of mass protests in Kyiv and other cities demanding Syrskyi's removal.
Zelenskyy said he made the decision after a series of meetings with military commanders and thanked Syrskyi "for the defense of Kyiv and for operations in Kharkiv and Kursk." He added, "Our shared wish is one — victory over the enemy and conditions at the front and in pressure on Russia that would force Russia toward peace," and said, "I am grateful to Oleksandr Syrskyi and to every one of our warriors for Ukraine's strong front-line positions. I am grateful to Mykhailo Drapatyi for holding that same view."
Zelenskyy removed Mykhailo Fedorov last Wednesday, saying the move followed an "irresolvable feud" between Fedorov and Syrskyi; the president told journalists, "I wanted unity very much. The sides did not achieve it. And that isn't just their problem, but mine as well. I do not absolve myself of responsibility."
Protesters gathered in cities across Ukraine carrying signs demanding Fedorov be reinstated and Syrskyi dismissed, and demonstrators saw Fedorov as a driver of military modernization. United24 announced a pause in publications to take part in the protests, some senior defense officials resigned including the deputy commander of the Air Force, and one Ukrainian member of parliament in Zelenskyy's own party said, "100% we will not accept" Fedorov's replacement.
Drapatyi is a major general who currently commands the Joint Forces in Kharkiv Oblast, where Ukraine's military has seen considerable battlefield progress, and he is seen as more reform-minded and close to Fedorov. "A significant path has been covered, the defense of Ukraine continues, and a dignified attitude to each soldier is necessary," Zelenskyy said in a Telegram post announcing Drapatyi's appointment.
Zelenskyy separately met with Fedorov and offered him what he called a respected position in government that would unify the country's technology sector, but it was not clear if Fedorov accepted the offer or whether the latest moves would satisfy protesters and bring peace to the streets.