Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has named General Mykhaïlo Drapaty commander-in-chief of the army, after a political crisis triggered by the surprise dismissal of a young and popular defense minister.
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Mykhaïlo Drapaty, 43, replaces Oleksandr Syrsky, 60, an experienced military strategist who was nevertheless criticized for his Soviet practices and accused of not taking enough account of human losses.
Here is what we know about Mykhaïlo Drapaty.
He distinguished himself against Russian separatists
A career officer exclusively trained within the post-Soviet system in Ukraine, he started as a lieutenant before quickly rising in rank after the start, in 2014, of the war against separatists supported by Moscow in the Donbass.
In May 2014, he commanded an infantry fighting vehicle which, in a now famous video, smashed through a makeshift barricade erected by pro-Russian forces in the city of Mariupol.
Recalling the episode in an interview with Ukrainian media, Mykhaïlo Drapaty quotes the driver’s words: “Comrade Major, look, there are barricades ahead. What do we do? »
“I said: + Dima, put on the gas! +”.
The vehicle, on which a Ukrainian flag flies, then rolls over the pile of tires and various objects, jumps into the air before continuing on its way.
During the fighting, he is credited with retaking several localities and saving his unit from encirclement.
He is married and has children, according to Ukrainian media.
He is a supporter of the reformers
Mykhaïlo Drapaty is seen as a consensual and popular candidate.
He has a good reputation within the army and demonstrators who demanded the departure of his predecessor often chanted his name.
Although he was very well known, he kept a low profile and rarely gave interviews.
After a series of Russian attacks on Ukrainian training sites, he resigned as commander of ground forces in June 2025, a decision that distinguished him as a man willing to own his mistakes.
“If we don’t draw conclusions, if we don’t change our attitude, if we don’t recognize our mistakes, we are doomed,” he said.
This episode “illustrates his determination and high ethical standards,” political commentator Volodymyr Fessenko told AFP on Wednesday.
Mykhaïlo Drapaty was then named head of the joint forces, where he pushed for reforms.
After reformer Mykhailo Fedorov resigned last week, he said the “transformation” of the army must continue.
“When the right decision has to be implemented despite the system, not because of it, that means the system itself has to change,” he said in a rare public intervention. “The army needs new rules. »
His appointment is welcomed in Ukraine
His appointment was welcomed by many, inside and outside the military.
This is “great news” for Sergiï Prytoula, who heads one of the largest charities supporting the army.
“It’s a breath of fresh air and new hope” in the fight against Russia, responded Mr. Fedorov.
In Moscow, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov on the contrary estimated that this could not “result in any changes” on the front line, adding that Russia is continuing its offensive.
He faces a “very difficult situation”
Even though Ukraine’s position in the conflict is currently the best in months, Mykhaïlo Drapaty faces many challenges.
The army has been rocked by several scandals – notably around the mobilization campaign which became unpopular, the treatment of conscripts and reports of widespread absenteeism and equipment shortages in some units.
He will go through “a very difficult period. Much more than he imagines,” said General Valeri Zaloujny, dismissed from this post in 2024.
Last week’s political crisis also exposed fractures within the army and political leaders.
This appointment, seen as an attempt to bridge these divisions, comes with immense expectations.
“Appointments made against a backdrop of social unrest are always accompanied by numerous pitfalls,” according to Mr. Prytoula, who judges that Mr. Drapaty is faced with “excessive expectations.”
