Mykhailo Drapatyi
Ukrainian general, former Joint Forces commander, appointed commander-in-chief on 21 July 2026.
Ukraine's commander-in-chief since 21 July 2026, appointed after President Zelenskyy dismissed Oleksandr Syrskyi amid mass protests demanding his removal.
Last refreshed: 3 August 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Can a decentralised commander turn around Ukraine's war after mass protests forced out his predecessor?
Timeline for Mykhailo Drapatyi
Gunman shoots four Odesa draft officers
Russia-Ukraine War 2026Mentioned in: Zelenskyy swaps out his top general
Russia-Ukraine War 2026Zelenskyy dismisses Syrskyi, names Drapatyi war chief
Russia-Ukraine War 2026Background
General Mykhailo Drapatyi became Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief on 21 July 2026, when President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed Oleksandr Syrskyi after mass protests demanded his removal, the most senior of three command changes made in eight days . Zelenskyy promoted him from commander of Ukraine's Joint Forces, the northeastern-front command he had held since mid-2025.
Born in 1982 in Kamianets-Podilskyi, Drapatyi graduated the Kharkiv Tank Forces Institute in 2004 and has served through the war since 2014, including helping stop the Russian advance toward Kryvyi Rih in 2022 as deputy commander of Operational Group South. In June 2025 he resigned as Ground Forces commander after a Russian strike on a training centre killed 12 soldiers, but Zelenskyy kept him in service.
At 43, he is one of the youngest officers to lead Ukraine's military, with a decentralised command style that pushes initiative down to subordinate commanders, a contrast with Syrskyi's more centralised approach.
Who is Mykhailo Drapatyi?
Why was Oleksandr Syrskyi replaced?
Why did Drapatyi resign from the Ground Forces?
How old is Ukraine's new commander-in-chief?
What did Drapatyi do earlier in the war?
How long has Drapatyi been Ukraine's commander-in-chief?
What challenge is Drapatyi facing as Ukraine's new commander-in-chief?
