Drapatyi seen as frontrunner to replace Syrskyi, report says
Maj. Gen. Mykhailo Drapatyi (Photo: Defense Ministry)
Maj. Gen. Mykhailo Drapatyi is the leading candidate to
succeed Oleksandr
Syrskyi as Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, Bloomberg reported
on July 20, citing people familiar with the matter.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been reviewing potential replacements for Syrskyi amid pressure from mass protests, the Bloomberg sources said. One person briefed on the discussions said Zelenskyy will likely pick Drapatyi, the commander of the Joint Forces Group. The same source said a decision could come in the coming days. A second source told Bloomberg there is no final decision yet and that a shortlist includes 11 candidates.
Drapatyi has publicly voiced support for former defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov, saying the new team at the Defense Ministry has sought to change approaches in the military system and address problems affecting soldiers and commanders. Drapatyi said that over the past six months the military has gained a partner in the ministry that not only supplied the army’s needs but demanded faster decisions, changes in approach and support for those willing to take responsibility.
Since July 16, protests in Kyiv and other Ukrainian
cities have demanded that Fedorov be returned to the post of defense minister
and that Syrskyi be removed. At a July 16 briefing, Fedorov said Ukraine needs
to replace Syrskyi to “defeat the enemy asymmetrically.” He also said he has
been in conflict with the commander in chief, accusing Syrskyi of blocking his
reforms.
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