Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has officially fired the country’s army commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been able to officially fire the country’s army commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi. The controversial dismissal of the popular Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov happened only a few days ago.
Fedorov’s unexpected dismissal unleashed six days of mass protests in the street throughout the country. The 35-year-old was well-known for his efforts to fight corruption, boost the Ministry of Defence, and introduce such initiatives as ‘the IT Army of Ukraine’ and the ‘Army of Drones’.
Rumors of a realising of a conflict between Fedorov and Syrskyi were confirmed by the protests. The 60-year-old Syrskyi was seen as a traditionalist who was not ready to conduct radical changes in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, while Fedorov advocated for fast modernization and data-driven plans.
Syrskyi’s military record was praised in his farewell speech, saying the army had come a long way since two years ago when it was still in a tough defensive posture to successfully launching an active offensive. He has also recently published an op-ed apologizing to Fedorov for any personal conflicts, stating that the war will be won “through real work, not the public drama surrounding it.
A Shift in Military Leadership and Strategy
In order to replace Syrskyi, Zelensky appointed a 43-year-old battle-hardened general, Mykhailo Drapatyi, who was modern and innovative. Drapatyi vowed to take over with “full focus and responsibility,” and expressed gratitude to his predecessor for laying the groundwork but also recognized the need for a change.
In an open statement, Fedorov gave his backing to Drapatyi’s appointment, calling it a “new hope” and a “voice of change that could not be ignored. This is a considerable endorsement from Fedorov, who regards Drapatyi as a close confidant, which is expected to help ease the political turmoil in the short term and appease demonstrators.
The president in a video message, expressed his gratitude to Syrskyi for his historic part in defending Kyiv in the early days of the invasion last year. The President also announced that he had made a new proposal to Fedorov – a “worthy position in power”, but it is unclear whether the former minister has accepted it.
As of today, the acting Defence Minister is former official of the Security Service of Ukraine Yevhenii Khmara. Zelensky has assigned Khmara and Drapatyi with creating a comprehensive new defense strategy for the Cabinet of Ministers to consider, which will include consideration of integration with the use of drones, weapons procurement, and reform of the system of the military corps.
