Maj. Gen. Mykhailo Drapatyi, aged 43, has taken over as Ukraine’s commander‑in‑chief, succeeding Oleksandr Syrskyi, marking the third leadership transition since Russia’s full‑scale invasion began.
The appointment was welcomed by both civil society and the armed forces. Drapatyi’s name had been shouted during protests that initially rallied behind former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov but later called for Syrskyi’s removal.
‘There is no better candidate for this post at this time in Ukraine,’ a Ukrainian soldier told the BBC.
Drapatyi’s backing stems from extensive post‑Soviet military experience, his reputation as a capable field commander, and his perceived humane yet firm leadership style among troops.
He graduated from the Kharkiv Institute of Tank Troops in 2004 and began his service as a lieutenant.
Ten years later, he rose to prominence after footage emerged showing his infantry fighting vehicle breaking through a makeshift barricade.
In May 2014, when pro‑Russian separatists seized parts of eastern Ukraine, Drapatyi’s battalion entered Mariupol to rescue hostages held in the city’s police station.
“I urged a direct assault,” he recalled, adding that the footage spread worldwide.
That same year, he was recognized for leading the withdrawal of encircled Ukrainian units from a border area in Luhansk.
In 2021, Drapatyi returned to academia for advanced operational and strategic training and received a sword of honour as the top graduate, presented by British ambassador Melinda Simmons.
At the outset of Russia’s full‑scale invasion in February 2022, he served as deputy commander of joint forces.
He commanded several temporary task forces on the front line, successfully halting Russian advances toward Kryvyi Rih and liberating numerous settlements in Kherson and Dnipropetrovsk.
By 2024, he headed Ukraine’s land forces, leading operations in some of the eastern front’s fiercest combat zones.
Shortly thereafter, a Russian missile struck a training ground in Dnipropetrovsk, killing 12 soldiers and wounding 60.
Drapatyi resigned the same day, assuming personal responsibility for what he described as a “conspiracy of silence and impunity” that allowed the tragedy to occur.
“An army where commanders are accountable for their soldiers’ lives endures; an army where no one is held responsible for losses eventually perishes,” he wrote.
This stance was seen as a demonstration of personal accountability and contributed to President Zelensky’s decision to appoint him commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, an appointment broadly praised.
Consequently, speculation about tensions between Drapatyi and Syrskyi intensified.
‘Drapatyi is a relatively young general. He is gifted. He was always sent to places where the situation was extremely difficult,’ an unnamed officer told Ukrainian media in June 2025. ‘I do not think he has political ambitions. Yet I am sure his ambitions are not confined to the position of commander of the ground forces or the Joint Forces.’
Just over a year later, Syrskyi stepped down, and expectations for Drapatyi’s leadership soared.
‘Drapatyi enjoys a strong reputation among rank‑and‑file soldiers—especially those who joined after 2022 as civilians,’ says Mykola Bielieskov, senior analyst at the Come Back Alive NGO. ‘Nonetheless, he will operate under significant constraints.’
“The commander‑in‑chief wields considerable influence, but war involves the government, the president’s office, defence suppliers, and dependence on Western partners, making his path challenging.”
“Prospects for a ceasefire with Russia remain dim, and Ukraine braces for another harsh winter of conflict.”
“Mobilising personnel is a priority, and Drapatyi is expected to address corruption at every level of the armed forces, from conscription officers to procurement officials.”
“He must also leverage Ukraine’s notable technological advances and the growing defence‑technology sector that has underpinned recent battlefield successes.”
“In his first address as commander‑in‑chief, Drapatyi acknowledged the difficulty of the role and pledged to work ‘without making loud promises, with responsibility for our decisions, and with respect’ for those on the front line.”
“Many observers anticipate a shift away from what was perceived as Syrskyi’s ‘outdated’ approach, which prioritised brutal offensives over the value of human life.”
‘It’s a major role, and people will expect change quickly,’ Bielieskov warned, urging caution against ‘oversimplification’ that could demand unrealistic improvements within an unreasonable timeframe.
‘You are worshipped and loved by all today, not loved by everyone tomorrow, and are blamed for everything the day after,’ Oleksiy Kopytko, a former interior ministry adviser, observed.
“Valery Zaluzhnyi, removed as army chief in 2024, warned that Drapatyi would ‘have a very difficult time. Much harder than he imagines.’”
“Amid many soldiers and ordinary Ukrainians, there is palpable excitement about the new direction Drapatyi represents. One commentator suggested that reviving Mykhailo Fedorov as defence minister alongside Drapatyi would be ‘Russia’s worst nightmare.’”
In his 2025 resignation, Drapatyi cited reforms he had implemented in the Ground Forces, including improvements to combat training, fairer mobilisation, anti‑corruption measures, and corrections to procurement flaws.
‘Resistance is anticipated, but increased efforts are required,’ he remarked.
“He will confront analogous challenges in his new position, albeit on a far larger scale and under intense national scrutiny.”
Additional material by BBC Monitoring
