President Volodymyr Zelensky has fired Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, deepening a military leadership shake-up that began with the controversial removal of Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov days earlier.
The decision comes after reports of disagreements between Syrskyi and Fedorov, whose dismissal last week sparked protests across Ukraine. The speculation over tensions between the two leaders was later confirmed, with the latest changes seen as part of a wider effort to reshape the country's military leadership.
General Mykhailo Drapatyi, 43, has been appointed to replace Syrskyi. The battle-hardened commander is widely respected for his service on the front line and is viewed by many as a younger leader expected to bring fresh thinking to the armed forces. Syrskyi, 60, had faced criticism from some Ukrainians who believed he was reluctant to embrace major reforms within the military.
"I will work responsibly, with full focus, and with respect for the people who are defending our country today," Drapatyi said on Facebook.
He also thanked Syrskyi "for his consistent work to strengthen the Ukrainian army," adding: "I grew up in it."
In a video posted late Tuesday, Zelensky thanked Syrskyi for his service and recognised his role in defending Kyiv during the opening days of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.
The president also revealed that he had met Fedorov earlier in the day and offered him a "worthy position in power", although he did not disclose whether the offer had been accepted.
Fedorov was replaced last week by Yevhenii Khmara, a former senior official at Ukraine's Security Service (SBU).
"All decisions will be formalised tomorrow," Zelensky added in his post.
Fedorov later welcomed Drapatyi's appointment, calling it a "new hope in the fight of free people for freedom and justice".
He said it was "the voice of change that could not be ignored".
The former defence minister also disclosed that he had called Syrskyi to thank him for defending the Kyiv region and leading other "historic battles".
"But we need to move even faster and write new chapters correcting all previous mistakes," he added.
Fedorov, 35, had served as defence minister since January after previously leading Ukraine's Ministry of Digital Transformation. During his time in government, he earned praise for introducing technology and data-driven methods to improve military operations while also pushing reforms and anti-corruption efforts within the Defence Ministry.
Soon after Russia launched its full-scale invasion, Fedorov helped establish the volunteer "IT Army of Ukraine", which carried out cyber-attacks against Russian targets. He later led the Army of Drones fundraising campaign and introduced a reward system that gave Ukrainian military units credits for destroying Russian military assets.
His removal from office triggered six days of protests in several Ukrainian cities, with demonstrators increasing pressure on Zelensky to also dismiss Syrskyi.
Many viewed Syrskyi as a commander shaped by Soviet military doctrine, while Drapatyi is regarded as a more modern leader willing to introduce change. He is also believed to be a close friend of Fedorov.
Fedorov's public endorsement of Drapatyi is expected to ease some of the political tension that has built up over the past week.
For now, Khmara remains acting defence minister. Zelensky has instructed him and Drapatyi to prepare a new defence strategy covering reforms to the military corps system, weapons supplies and drone operations.
Syrskyi has not publicly reacted to his dismissal.
However, in an opinion article published on the Militarny website on Monday, he described his relationship with Fedorov as professional.
"I perceived our relationship as a working one".
"If I offended anyone, Mykhailo Albertovych [Fedorov], I'm sorry."
Syrskyi also addressed the protests, saying issues surrounding military contracts, procurement and mobilisation were far more complex than they appeared in public debate.
"Decisions on which people's lives depend are not made with slogans," he said. "Real work, not the public drama surrounding it, wins the war," Syrskyi wrote.
While the appointment of Drapatyi may calm some of the public anger, many protesters still want Fedorov returned to a senior leadership role where he can continue driving military innovation.
If he accepts another influential government position, Zelensky may succeed in easing the immediate political crisis. Even so, many Ukrainians remain critical of the decisions that led to the latest upheaval within the country's military leadership.