Zelenskyy sacks Syrskii: How many generals have Ukraine, Russia fired?

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has removed Oleksandr Syrskii from his position as military chief, marking the latest significant reshuffle within Ukraine's defence establishment. The decision follows a week of civil unrest in Kyiv triggered by the prior dismissal of Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, whose removal sparked widespread public anger across the country.

Syrskii, 60, was born in the Soviet Union and trained at a Red Army academy in Moscow before being deployed to Ukraine in the 1980s. He remained in the country after independence and attended the National Defence University of Ukraine in Kyiv. In 2014, he commanded Ukrainian forces during the Moscow-backed armed rebellion in Donetsk. Since 2019, he served as head of Ukraine's land forces and led the military response when Russia invaded in February 2022. Early in the conflict, he received the title of Hero of Ukraine for his role in defending Kyiv. Syrskii is also credited with orchestrating Ukraine's counteroffensive around Kharkiv between July and September 2022, which resulted in the recapture of strategically important cities including Kupiansk and Izyum.

The removal of Syrskii came amid tensions within the military leadership. Before his dismissal, Fedorov had publicly accused Syrskii of obstructing his reform initiatives. Zelenskyy has appointed Mykhailo Drapatyi as Syrskii's successor, stating that the change was necessary to "reset" Ukraine's defence operations against Russian forces.

In a statement, Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to Syrskii for maintaining strong front-line positions and acknowledged Drapatyi's commitment to the same objective. He emphasized the importance of resolving internal friction within military leadership and addressing ongoing challenges related to mobilisation and front-line management. According to the report, more than 10 Ukrainian generals have been dismissed from their positions since the war began in February 2022.