Zelenskyy sacks Ukraine army chief in major wartime shake-up
The move follows the surprise removal of popular Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, sparking protests outside Mr Zelenskyy’s office
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has replaced Ukraine’s commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi in the country’s biggest military leadership shake-up since Russia’s invasion.
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The Ukrainian President named 43-year-old General Mykhailo Drapatyi as the new head of the armed forces, replacing Mr Syrskyi, 60, who has held the post since early 2024.
The move comes days after the surprise removal of popular Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, sparking protests outside Mr Zelenskyy’s office.
Mr Fedorov, a tech-focused reformer who drove Ukraine’s drone innovation programme, had reportedly clashed with Mr Syrskyi over the military’s approach to technology.
Protesters had called for Mr Fedorov to be reinstated and for Mr Syrskyi to be removed.
Read more: Russia hits Ukraine with largest number of ballistic missiles, Kyiv says
Mr Zelenskyy said Ukraine’s military operations would continue “steadily”, adding that plans to strike Russian energy and logistics infrastructure would be carried out “with absolute precision”.
General Drapatyi previously led Ukraine’s land forces and is regarded as an experienced commander.
Mr Syrskyi played a central role in Kyiv’s defence during the early stages of the war, but has faced criticism over his command style and battlefield losses.
Mr Zelenskyy said he had discussed Mr Syrskyi’s future role, while offering Mr Fedorov a new post overseeing the state’s technological capabilities.
The reshuffle comes after Russia battered Ukraine's capital Kyiv on Saturday night with one of its biggest ballistic missile barrages of the war.
At least one person was killed and 16 others wounded in the attack, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday.