Butusov: Drapatyi cannot quickly overhaul Ukraine’s military command system
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Zelenskyy announced Mykhailo Drapatyi’s appointment as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on July 21. (Photo: Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine via Facebook)
Ukraine’s new Armed Forces commander-in-chief, Mykhailo
Drapatyi, cannot quickly change the military command system, Yurii Butusov,
commander of a UAV company in the 23rd Assault Regiment of the National Guard’s
2nd Khartiia Corps, told Radio
NV.
“Our government is structured in such a way that it is
fragmented. And replacing any one element does not mean the system immediately
produces different results or that those changes become systemic. A person
comes in and spends a lot of time simply trying to understand their place in
the system, simply trying to understand what they can and cannot do,” Butusov
said.
He added that some personnel decisions are compromises and
do not all reflect the vision of the person appointed to a particular position.
“Then there is the issue of coordination, because all
complex strategic decisions require coordination. One leader, even if it is the
commander-in-chief of the Defense Forces, cannot decide everything. He does not
control all the money. He does not control the entire mobilization system. He
does not control relations with foreign partners. He cannot immediately change
programs that have already been launched and are being implemented,” the
Khartiia drone company commander said.
Drapatyi’s appointment as Armed Forces commander-in-chief and other military personnel changes
On July 21, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced
the dismissal of Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi and the
appointment of Mykhailo Drapatyi, then commander of the Armed Forces’ Joint
Forces, to replace him.
Drapatyi named strengthening air defenses and cutting
bureaucracy in the military as his key priorities.
On July 30, hromadske, citing a source in the General Staff,
reported that Drapatyi dismissed Oleksandr Hruzevych as chief of staff of the
Ground Forces.
On Aug. 4, Ukrainska Pravda, citing sources in the Defense
Forces, reported that Mykhailo Drapatyi submitted a proposal to dismiss Armed
Forces Medical Forces Commander Anatolii Kazmirchuk.
On Aug. 7, following a report from Drapatyi, Zelenskyy
announced another round of personnel changes in the Armed Forces. He did not
provide details at the time.
On Aug. 10, Zelenskyy said “important military issues” had
been resolved following a meeting with military commanders. He said some
decisions on personnel changes in the military had already been prepared.
On Aug. 17, after meeting with Drapatyi, Zelenskyy said he
had “decided that personnel decisions should be prepared” based on proposals
from the commander-in-chief.
On Sept. 2, Zelenskyy appointed 20th Army Corps commander
Gen. Sviatoslav Zaiets as Ground Forces commander and issued a decree
dismissing Hennadii Shapovalov from the post.
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