Commander-in-Chief

Ukraine’s military chief Drapatyi launches sweeping review of General Staff officer corps

Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Mykhailo Drapatyi has launched a review of the General Staff officer corps to filter out those without combat and command experience, Ukrayinska Pravda reported on September 29, citing a source within the General Staff.

29 September, 11:22 AM

Zaluzhnyi: My early warnings about technological change in war drew criticism

Early assessments of technological change and the need to rethink the conduct of war were met with criticism and political pushback, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Kingdom and former commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said in his column, The war that changed everything. On historical mistakes, the role of progress and the new world, published by Ukrainska Pravda on Sept. 15.

15 September, 06:04 PM

Drapatyi sets out leadership principles for Ukraine’s Armed Forces

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Mykhailo Drapatyi has published the principles he says will guide his leadership of the military, with protecting personnel, fair service conditions, innovation and leaner command structures among the priorities.

2 September, 03:46 PM

Zelenskyy ordered comprehensive vetting process for commander-in-chief search

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tasked a team of trusted advisers to conduct a comprehensive assessment of various candidates to select a new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, RBC-Ukraine reported on July 28.

28 July, 11:49 AM

Fake Drapatyi account on X blocked amid disinformation campaign

A fake account impersonating the official page of Ukraine's Commander in Chief, Maj. Gen. Mykhailo Drapatyi has been blocked on the social media platform X, Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation, which operates under the National Security and Defense Council, reported on July 28.

28 July, 11:06 AM

Drapatyi’s appointment signals rare consensus as Ukraine sheds Soviet military culture

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's decision to appoint 43-year-old Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi as Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces received rare, near-universal support, demonstrating his high standing across political, military, and public circles while helping stabilize the political situation in Kyiv amid widespread protests, The Guardian reported on July 22.

23 July, 07:52 PM

How Mykhailo Drapatyi rose from Mariupol battles to lead Ukraine’s Armed Forces

NV traced the military career of Mykhailo Drapatyi, Ukraine’s new commander-in-chief, from the first battles of Russia’s war in 2014 to his appointment as the country’s top general.

22 July, 05:22 PM

Kyiv Mayor reacts to Syrskyi’s departure, recalls his role in saving capital from encirclement

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko thanked former Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi for defending the capital in 2022, recalling that the city was on the brink of encirclement by Russian troops, according to a statement he made on July 21.

22 July, 12:20 PM

Budanov reacts to military shakeup, commends newly appointed Commander-in-Chief

Head of the Presidential Office Kyrylo Budanov praised Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s decision to appoint Mykhailo Drapatyi as Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, calling him "a commander with a real sense of combat”, according to a statement Budanov published on July 22.

22 July, 11:46 AM

Moscow places Ukraine’s new commander-in-chief Drapatyi on wanted list

Russia has placed newly appointed Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Mykhailo Drapatyi on its wanted list, Russian state propaganda agency TASS reported on July 21.

22 July, 11:15 AM

Ambassador Valerii Zaluzhnyi reacts to Mykhailo Drapatyi's appointment as military chief

Ukrainian Ambassador to the UK and former Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi publicly reacted to the appointment of Mykhailo Drapatyi as the new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on July 21.

22 July, 10:17 AM

Zelenskyy fires Syrskyi, appoints Drapatyi Commander-in-Chief

Oleksandr Syrskyi is stepping down as Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, with Maj. Gen. Mykhailo Drapatyi replacing him, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on July 21.

21 July, 11:06 PM

DM Fedorov explains how he proposed replacing Syrskyi to Zelenskyy

The choice of a new commander-in-chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces and a new chief of the General Staff must be made by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, outgoing Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said during a briefing on July 16.

16 July, 05:04 PM

Syrskyi marks four years of blood and defiance against Russian invaders

Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi addressed the nation on the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, declaring that Ukrainians survived a brutal onslaught that would have broken anyone else.

24 February, 11:44 AM

Zaluzhnyi delivers first assessment of Kursk operation

Former AFU Commander-in-Chief and now ambassador to the United Kingdom, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, has commented on the Defense Forces’ operation in Russia’s Kursk Oblast in an interview with ZN.ua, published on Sept. 24.

24 September 2025, 12:19 PM

Ukraine's army chief Syrskyi rejects retirement, backs strikes on Russia

Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, who will turn 60 on July 26, rejected speculation about his retirement in an interview with The Washington Post published on July 23.

23 July 2025, 01:03 PM

Ukraine to boost training for drone and robotic system instructors

Ukraine’s Armed Forces will expand training for instructors operating drones and ground robotic systems, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi wrote on Telegram on May 28.

28 May 2025, 02:47 PM

Russian orders to kill Ukrainians won’t go unpunished - AFU Commander-in-Chief

Every crime committed by Russia will be met with a response, and those who issued criminal orders will be brought to justice, AFU Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi wrote, responding to Russia’s massive combined strike on Ukraine on April 24.

24 April 2025, 02:37 PM

Ex-Azov chief of staff calls for top brass changes in Ukraine

The Commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, should resign, former Chief of Staff of the 12th Special Purpose Brigade Azov, Bohdan “Tavr” Krotevych, said in an interview with The Guardian on April 9.

9 April 2025, 06:55 PM

Syrskyi insists degree of wartime censorship is unavoidable

A reasonable censorship regime is necessary to maintain in wartime, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi said in an interview with Radio Bayraktar on Jan. 23.

23 January 2025, 11:42 PM

Commander-in-Chief

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