Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appointed Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi as the new commander-in-chief of the country's military, a move that comes as street protests grow and Russia intensifies its attacks on energy infrastructure.
On Wednesday, Zelenskyy replaced Army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi with the 43-year-old General Drapatyi, a respected commander seen as part of a new generation of military leaders. While introducing Drapatyi, Zelenskyy stated, "The operations of the Ukrainian Defence Forces are ongoing and must continue steadily. Ukraine's plan for long-range sanctions and our program of middle-range strikes will be carried out with absolute precision." He further stressed the shared objective of defeating the enemy and forcing Russia into peace.
The leadership change comes on the heels of widespread protests sparked by Zelenskyy's surprise decision to replace popular Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. Hundreds of mostly young Ukrainians protested in Kyiv and other cities against the removal of Fedorov, chanting slogans in his support. Later, Zelenskyy nominated Maj. Gen. Yevhenii Khmara as acting defense minister, while indications from both Zelenskyy and Fedorov suggested the leadership change was linked to tensions with Ukraine's commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, according to the BBC.
As Ukraine reshuffled its defense leadership on Wednesday, Russia launched fresh attacks on the nation, hitting an energy facility in the Chernihiv region and leaving over 100,000 people without electricity, while claiming to have captured two settlements in the Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia regions. Meanwhile, Ukraine intensified its drone strikes inside Russia, injuring several people and expanding its campaign against targets behind enemy lines.
Earlier this month, billionaire investor Bill Ackman expressed confidence in Ukraine's victory in the ongoing war, citing its drone warfare technological edge over Russia's manpower advantages. Adding to this sentiment, Finnish President Alexander Stubb stated that Ukraine had already won the war against Russia by preserving its independence, even as he warned that Kyiv still urgently needs more air defense support.
