President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday dismissed General Oleksandr Syrskyi as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, following several days of massive protests in Kyiv and other cities across the country demanding his removal.
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Zelensky appointed Mykhailo Drapatyi as the new head of the Army, according to a statement published on social media.
The decision was made by mutual agreement with the acting Minister of Defense after the dismissal of Mykhailo Fedorov, Yevhen Khmara, and the deputy head of the President’s Office, Pavlo Palisa, Zelensky stated.
“I have decided that Mykhailo Drapatyi will become the new commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Together with Mykhailo, Yevhen Khmara, and Pavlo Palisa, we have determined how the structure of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine should be renewed,” the Ukrainian president noted.
“Our common desire is one: victory over the enemy and the creation of conditions on the front and pressure on Russia that will force it to seek peace,” Zelensky declared. He added that “much progress has been made, the defense of Ukraine continues, and every soldier deserves dignified treatment.”
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Syrskyi, 60, faced criticism from civil society, soldiers, and lawmakers for his Soviet-style command culture and tactics that result in a high number of casualties.
Furthermore, his dismissal comes after the removal of Mykhailo Fedorov as Minister of Defense, a change that sparked massive demonstrations in Ukraine and for which Zelensky had to step in to explain that it was due to the lack of unity and communication between Fedorov and Syrskyi.
The announcement comes after several days of uncertainty, during which the General Staff of Ukraine had repeatedly denied earlier reports indicating that Syrskyi had already been dismissed, insisting that he remained in his post pending a presidential decree.
According to the Kyiv Post newspaper, the decision comes at a time when Zelensky faces what many consider his most serious military leadership crisis since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion.
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