President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has fired General Oleksandr Syrskyi as commander-in-chief of Ukraine's armed forces following days of mass protests in Kyiv and other cities nationwide. The unrest began after the surprise dismissal of popular Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov last week, sparking one of the fiercest leadership crises of Zelenskyy's presidency. Protesters demanded the reinstatement of Fedorov and the removal of Syrskyi.
The crisis stemmed from frequent clashes between the 35-year-old Fedorov, credited with innovative drone tactics, and the 60-year-old, Soviet-trained Syrskyi. While Syrskyi was credited with stopping Russian invaders at the gates of Kyiv in 2022, he later gained a reputation for brutality, wasting lives unnecessarily, and tolerance for corruption. Fedorov publicly blamed Syrskyi for his ouster and for hindering military reforms.
Bowing to public pressure, Zelenskyy announced on Tuesday the appointment of Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi as the new commander-in-chief. Drapatyi, a popular and innovative general and ally of Fedorov, will oversee a reorganization of the army's command structure. This shake-up represents one of the biggest military leadership changes as the war with Russia continues into its fifth year.
In an effort to defuse the political crisis and restore unity to the military, President Zelenskyy also offered former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov a prominent post to oversee the technological component of the state.