Zelenskyy replaces military leader and brings back defence minister he sacked

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has fired Ukraine’s commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi and offered a “prominent position” to the defence minister he sacked last week in a move that sparked nationwide protests.In a late-night TV address, Zelenskyy said he was appointing Mykhailo Drapatyi, a popular and innovative general, as the new head of Ukraine’s armed forces. Drapatyi would oversee a reorganisation of the army’s command structure, Ukraine’s president said.Zelenskyy said he was bringing Mykhailo Fedorov back into government after his removal as defence minister prompted thousands of people to demonstrate in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, in one of the biggest political crises since Russia’s 2022 invasion.Volodymyr Zelenskyy with Oleksandr Syrskyi at the handover of drone missiles to the Ukrainian army in Kyiv in December 2024. Photograph: Sergey Dolzhenko/EPAUkraine’s president paid tribute to Syrskyi and credited him with leading the defence of Kyiv and launching a counter-invasion of Russia’s Kursk province in summer 2024, in which foreign tanks rolled on to Russian territory for the first time since the second world war.“We have come a long way. The defence of Ukraine continues. And every soldier deserves to be treated with respect,” Zelenskyy said, adding that he was grateful to Syrskyi and to “every one of our soldiers” fighting on the frontline.Zelenskyy will be hoping that his radical reshuffle of the army’s leadership will assuage protesters who have taken to the streets demanding Syrskyi’s removal. They had given a deadline of Friday for Fedorov to be reinstated and promised “indefinite protests” if their request was ignored.Why Ukrainians are protesting against Zelenskyy’s dismissal of defence minister – videoFedorov welcomed Drapatyi’s appointment. “This brings a breath of fresh air and new hope to the struggle of free people for freedom and justice. It is a voice for change that could not be ignored,” he said.He added: “The high expectations of the Ukrainian people must be met with a clear vision for ending the war for independence, a strong team and decisive actions aimed at saving the lives of our soldiers, automating the frontline, delivering asymmetric strikes and crippling the Russian economy.”Drapatyi, the new commander-in-chief, is well-regarded within Ukraine’s army and is liked by the public. He is viewed as an ally of Fedorov, whose attempts to reform the military and force it to adopt modern technology and data led to a bitter clash with the old-school Syrskyi.A major general, Drapatyi is commander of Ukraine’s joint forces group. He has been fighting Russia since its covert attempt in 2014 to take over the eastern Donbas region. He became famous nationally when he drove an infantry fighting vehicle over a barricade set up by pro-Russian militants in the city of Mariupol.The Ukrainian media outlet Babel described Drapatyi as one of Ukraine’s most capable battlefield commanders. It said his new job would be fundamentally about reforming a large institution rather than commanding troops in combat.Zelenskyy said he and Drapatyi agreed that Ukraine’s long-range drone attacks on targets in Russia such as oil refineries would continue. “Our programme of precision strikes will be implemented with absolute precision,” he said, promising a smooth and coordinated handover following Syrskyi’s departure.He also said the new commander in chief would be tasked with updating the country’s defence strategy and reforming its structure. Another pressing issue is mobilisation, at a time when after nearly five years of full-scale war few Ukrainians are ready to volunteer.It is unclear what Fedorov’s new role will be, amid reports that he was insisting on being given his old job back as defence minister. This has now been filled by Yevhen Khmara, a former special operations commander.Yevhen Khmara replaced Mykhailo Fedeorov as Ukraine’s defence minister. Photograph: Ukrainian presidential press service/AFP/Getty ImagesZelenskyy said he met Fedorov on Tuesday. “I offered Mykhailo a prominent position within the government that would enable him to unify the technological sector of our state and ensure its development,” he said, without giving further details.“Our shared wish is one – victory over the enemy and conditions at the front and in pressure on Russia that would force Russia toward peace.” He said “a significant path has been travelled, the defence of Ukraine continues, and every warrior deserves dignified treatment”.