KYIV — President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has removed Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi as commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces after days of mass demonstrations in Kyiv and other cities demanding his dismissal.
Zelenskyy named Mykhailo Drapatyi as the new commander, posting the announcement on social media. The president framed the change as part of a shared commitment to military success: “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,” he said.
The decision followed a series of meetings with senior military leaders that Zelenskyy said took place after protests erupted. Demonstrators had called for the reinstatement of former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, whom they praised as a force for military modernization, and criticized Syrskyi as representing an older, Soviet-style command culture.
Zelenskyy publicly thanked Syrskyi for his work in the war, citing the commander’s role in defending Kyiv and in operations around Kharkiv and Kursk. “I am grateful to Oleksandr Syrskyi and to every one of our warriors for Ukraine’s strong front-line positions,” the president said, adding that he believes Drapatyi shares the same perspective.
Separately on Tuesday, Zelenskyy met with Fedorov and offered him what the president described as a respected government post intended to consolidate the country’s technology sector. It was not immediately clear whether Fedorov accepted the position or whether the personnel changes would placate protesters and restore calm on the streets.
The rapid personnel shift highlights pressure on Ukraine’s leadership to balance public demands for reform and modernization with the operational needs of a military facing a prolonged war with Russia. Whether the new appointments will satisfy demonstrators or alter the course of military policy remains uncertain.