Mykhailo Drapatyi: Can new Ukraine army chief alter Russia war’s direction?

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has named Colonel Mykhailo Drapatyi as commander of Ukraine's general staff, making him the nation's top military officer. Drapatyi replaces General Oleksandr Syrskii, a 60-year-old four-star general who had led Ukrainian forces since early 2022.

Drapatyi first gained widespread recognition in May 2014 when he drove an armoured vehicle through a barricade controlled by pro-Russian separatists in Mariupol to rescue police officers held hostage. The maneuver became a symbol of Ukrainian resistance and was widely shared online. In the weeks following, he led his unit out of an encirclement by Russian-backed forces with minimal casualties.

Syrskii, who prevented Russia from capturing Kyiv in 2022 and later orchestrated Ukrainian operations in the Kharkiv region and Kursk, was educated at a Soviet-era military academy and earned the nickname "the Butcher" among soldiers for his reported disregard for casualties. Military observers note that Syrskii's approach relied on Soviet strategic doctrine emphasizing large-scale troop movements, tactics increasingly difficult to execute in modern warfare dominated by drone technology.

Drapatyi's appointment has been welcomed by Ukrainian military figures. According to Lieutenant General Ihor Romanenko, former deputy head of Ukraine's General Staff, Drapatyi is trusted by those who have served alongside him and is known for caring about soldiers while taking calculated risks. Military analysts view Drapatyi as Ukraine's first top commander to prioritize Western military doctrine over outdated Soviet approaches.