Ukraine’s newly appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Mykhailo Drapatyi, said on Wednesday that he has been tasked with increasing counteroffensive actions and organizing new operations inside Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appointed Drapatyi as army chief on Tuesday, replacing Oleksandr Syrskyi, in the largest military leadership reshuffle since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Reuters reported.
The decision came after a broader government reshuffle last week, including the dismissal of 35-year-old Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, a move that exposed deep divisions within Ukraine’s defense leadership.
“The President of Ukraine has set clear objectives for us: to continue and intensify offensive operations across all domains, to plan new operations behind enemy lines, to develop our army and its technologies, and to strengthen the capabilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” Drapatyi said in a statement on Facebook.
Ukraine has increased attacks on Russian energy infrastructure and logistics networks this year in an effort to weaken Russia’s military capabilities.
Major General Ihor Skybiuk, the former commander of Ukraine’s airborne assault forces, will become Chief of the General Staff, Drapatyi said.
Drapatyi, a respected and experienced commander, has been described by many as a general from a new generation. Syrskyi had faced heavy criticism over his strict command style, which some soldiers said had resulted in unjustifiably high troop losses.
