Zelensky appoints Mykhailo Drapatyi as Ukraine’s commander-in-chief after protests and a military leadership shake-up

Who is Mykhailo Drapatyi?

Drapatyi is a 43-year-old Ukrainian major general who has served since the 2000s and became widely known for his role in Mariupol in 2014, where footage of an armored vehicle breaking through a pro-Russian barricade became closely associated with him NYT,BBC,Guardian.

Why was Oleksandr Syrskyi replaced?

Multiple reports say Syrskyi was removed after days of public protests and amid broader dissatisfaction with Ukraine’s defense leadership following Fedorov’s dismissal; the dispute also reflected disagreements over strategy and command methods inside the wartime leadership MoneyControl,Ouest France,India Today,Yahoo!.

What happens next?

Drapatyi has been tasked with leading Ukraine’s armed forces during the war and, according to Reuters and other reports, with intensifying operations and advancing reforms. At the same time, the domestic political dispute is still active because campaigners say protests will continue until Fedorov’s status is resolved Investing.com,India Today,Guardian.