Conflict & Security
Profile: Syrsky leaves Ukraine army command after criticism and protests
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has dismissed Oleksandr Syrsky as commander-in-chief of Ukraine's army after a week of political pressure, protests and disputes over military reform.
Syrsky, 60, had led some of Ukraine's most important campaigns since Russia's full-scale invasion. He commanded the defence of Kyiv in 2022, later led a counter-offensive in the northeastern Kharkiv region and oversaw Ukraine's 2024 operation into Russia's Kursk region.
Zelensky announced that Mykhailo Drapaty, a 43-year-old senior commander, would replace him. Zelensky said Syrsky had ensured Ukraine's successes in the defence of Kyiv, the Kharkiv offensive and the Kursk operation.
Syrsky's dismissal followed Zelensky's removal of defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who had been brought in to modernise the military. Thousands of people protested after Fedorov was ousted, demanding that Syrsky be removed instead. Fedorov later accused Syrsky of blocking work on procurement, equipment and mobilisation.
Syrsky had been seen as loyal to Zelensky and as a career military officer without clear political ambitions. In an article published shortly before his dismissal, Syrsky said his work was war and that he had no political ambitions.
Critics said his command style was too rigid and accused him of not giving enough weight to troop losses. Analyst Anatolii Oktysiuk of the KI Research Group in Kyiv said Syrsky adapted to what Zelensky wanted and had built a system in which initiative was suppressed while loyal generals were promoted.
Syrsky was born in Soviet Russia and studied at a Red Army academy in Moscow before being posted to Soviet Ukraine. He remained in Ukraine after the collapse of the Soviet Union and joined the new Ukrainian army. The source said his Ukrainian remains imperfect and that his parents and brother still live in Russia. His brother told Russian state news agency TASS after Syrsky's appointment that they were no longer in contact.
An army spokesman said Syrsky is married and has two sons. As speculation about his future grew last week, Syrsky issued a public statement saying the army needed to continue its modernisation drive.
Update
Syrsky is described as a Soviet-trained commander who led the defence of Kyiv, the Kharkiv counter-offensive and the 2024 Kursk operation.
The source says his position weakened after President Volodymyr Zelensky removed defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov, prompting large protests calling for Syrsky's removal.
Critics accused Syrsky of a Soviet-style command approach and of suppressing initiative, while analysts said he was not seen as a political threat to Zelensky.
Fedorov said Syrsky blocked attempts to modernise procurement, equipment and mobilisation.
Syrsky was born in Soviet Russia, studied at a Red Army academy in Moscow, later joined Ukraine's army and still has parents and a brother in Russia, according to the source.
Zelensky named 43-year-old commander Mykhailo Drapaty as Syrsky's replacement.
Source note: AFP news report published on 21 July 2026 at 20:08:38 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The source reports accusations and criticism of Syrsky's command style, but those assessments are attributed to critics, Fedorov and analysts.
Source
AFP news report published on .