KIEV.- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said on Tuesday that he dismissed Oleksandr Sirski, commander in chief of the Russian army. Ukraine, and replaces him with the popular commander of the joint forces, Mijaílo Drapati, amid discontent after the departure of the Minister of Defense.
“I have decided that the new commander in chief of the Armed forces of Ukraine will be Mikhail Drapati… I am grateful to Oleksandr Sirski and each of our fighters for Ukraine’s solid positions on the front line,” Zelensky said in a post on Telegram.
“Serving Ukraine has always been an honor for me,” General Drapati, a 43-year-old former army commander, reacted on Facebook.
Oleksandr Sirsky, 60, had held the position since 2024 and led the defense of kyiv at the beginning of the Russian invasion in 2022. His removal comes after several days of demonstrations in support of Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov, dismissed on July 14.
For his part, Fedorov accused Sirsky of having pushed for the exit and of hindering his attempt to reform the army.
Fight against Russia
Mijailo Fédorov, 35 years old, coming from the world of technology and without having served in the army, defended the massive use of new technologies to multiply the potential of drones and deeply reorganize the armed forces.
The dismissal of General Sirsky is “a breath of fresh air” and “a new hope” in the fight against Russia, Fedorov celebrated.
Born in Russia and educated in Moscow, Oleksandr Sirsky never managed to shake off his reputation as a general with a Soviet mentality: his detractors reproached him for paying little attention to human losses, which earned him the nickname “butcher.”
President Zelensky announced on July 12 a major reshuffle of his government, with the replacement of Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko and the heads of some government agencies.
“Ukraine is changing its political strategy (…) these changes require a renewal of the Council of Ministers,” Zelensky said in a message on X.
