Zelenskyy replaces military leader and brings back defence minister he sacked | Ukraine

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has sacked Ukraine’s commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi and offered a “key position” to the defense minister he dismissed last week in a move that sparked nationwide protests.

In a late-night television speech, Zelenskyy said he had appointed Mykhailo Drapati, a popular and innovative general, as the new head of Ukraine’s armed forces. The Ukrainian president said Drapati would oversee the reorganization of the army’s command structure.

In one of the biggest political crises since Russia’s 2022 invasion, Zelenskyy said he would bring Mykhailo Fedorov back into government after he was dismissed because the defense minister encouraged thousands of people to demonstrate in Kiev and other Ukrainian cities.

The Ukrainian president paid tribute to Syrskyi, saying he led the defense of Kiev and launched a counter-invasion against Russia’s Kursk province in the summer of 2024, when foreign tanks entered Russian territory for the first time since the second world war.

“We have come a long way. The defense of Ukraine continues. And every soldier deserves to be treated with respect,” Zelenskyy said, adding that he was grateful to Syrskyi and “each and every one of our soldiers” fighting on the front lines.

Zelenskyy hopes the radical change in the military’s leadership will appease protesters who have taken to the streets demanding Syrskyi’s removal. They gave until Friday for Fedorov to be reinstated and promised “indefinite protest” if their demands are not taken into account.

Fedorov welcomed Drapati’s appointment. “This brings new breath and new hope to the free people’s struggle for freedom and justice. This is a voice of change that cannot be ignored,” he said.

“The high expectations of the Ukrainian people must be met with a clear vision for ending the war of independence, a strong team and decisive actions aimed at saving the lives of our soldiers, automating the front line, launching asymmetric attacks and cripple the Russian economy.”

The new commander-in-chief, Drapati, is respected in the Ukrainian army and admired by the public. He is considered an ally of Fedorov, whose attempts to reform the army and force it to adopt modern technology and data led to a bitter conflict with the old-style Syrskyi.

Major General Drapati is the commander of Ukraine’s joint forces group. He has been at war with Russia since a covert attempt to seize the eastern Donbas region in 2014. Then he became famous throughout the country drove an infantry fighting vehicle over a barricade It was founded by pro-Russian militants in the city of Mariupol.

Ukrainian media outlet Babel described Drapati as one of Ukraine’s most capable battlefield commanders. It was stated that his new job would be primarily about reforming a large institution rather than commanding troops in combat.

Zelenskyy said he and Drapati agreed that Ukraine’s long-range drone strikes against targets such as oil refineries in Russia should continue. “Our precision strike program will be implemented with absolute precision,” he said, promising a smooth and coordinated handover after Syrskyi’s departure.

He also said the new commander-in-chief will be tasked with updating the country’s defense strategy and reforming its structure. Another urgent issue is mobilization, at a time when few Ukrainians are ready to volunteer after almost five years of full-scale war.

It is unclear what Fedorov’s new role will be, amid reports that he is insisting on being given back to his old post as defense minister. That spot is now filled by former special operations commander Yevhen Khmara.

Zelenskyy said he met with Fedorov on Tuesday. “I offered Mykhailo a key position within the government that would allow him to unify our state’s technological sector and ensure its development,” he said, without giving further details.

Zelenskyy concluded his words as follows: “Our common wish is one; to win against the enemy, to put pressure on the conditions at the front and on Russia to force Russia to peace.” “Significant progress has been made, Ukraine’s defense continues and every combatant deserves dignified treatment,” he said.