Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the appointment of Mykhailo Drapaty as the new commander-in-chief of the army, following a political crisis that forced the defense minister to resign after a government reshuffle.

Drapaty, 43, succeeds Oleksandr Syrskyi, 60, a prominent military expert who has long been criticized for relying on Soviet methods and disregarding human losses.

Here is what we know about Drapaty, according to an Agence France-Presse report.

Fighting pro-Russian separatists

Drapaty is a professional officer who received his entire training within the Ukrainian military establishment that emerged after the country's independence and the collapse of the Soviet Union.

He began his career as a lieutenant and rose through the ranks, gaining widespread fame during the war with Russian-backed separatists in 2014.

In a widely circulated video, he was shown driving an armored personnel carrier that breaks through a makeshift barrier erected by pro-Moscow forces in the southern city of Mariupol.

In an interview with Ukrainian media, Drapaty recalled the incident, saying his driver asked him: 'Sir Major, there are barriers ahead. What do we do?'

He added: 'I told him: (Dima), step on the gas.'

The vehicle, with the Ukrainian flag raised above it, is shown crashing through a barrier of tires and barricades, flying into the air before speeding on.

Drapaty is also credited during the fighting with Moscow-backed rebels with recapturing several towns from Russian control, then rescuing his unit from encirclement.

Ukrainian media reported that Drapaty is married and has children.

Brigadier General Mykhailo Drapaty, then deputy commander of the joint forces, attends a military training in the Luhansk region of Ukraine on December 14, 2021 (EPA)

Supporting the army's 'transformation'

Drapaty is seen as a consensus candidate with wide popularity. He has a good reputation within the army, and protesters demanding the dismissal of his predecessor chanted his name as their preferred replacement.

Despite his fame, he maintained a limited media presence and rarely gave interviews, unlike many Ukrainian military leaders.

After a series of Russian strikes targeting Ukrainian training grounds, he resigned in June 2025 from his post as commander of the ground forces, a move that distinguished him as a leader willing to take responsibility for mistakes.

He said at the time: 'If we do not draw lessons, change our view of service, and admit our mistakes, we are doomed to failure.'

Political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko told AFP on Wednesday that 'that incident shows his firmness and high ethical standards.'

Drapaty was immediately appointed commander of the Ukrainian joint forces, a position through which he pushed for reforms within the military establishment.

After the resignation of Fedorov, who was considered a proponent of modernization, last week, Drapaty stressed the need to continue the army's 'transformation.'

He said in a rare public statement: 'When the right decision has to be implemented despite the system, not because of it, it means the system itself needs to change.'

He added that 'the army needs new rules.'

'A breath of fresh air'

Drapaty's appointment was widely welcomed both inside and outside the army.

Serhiy Prytula, head of one of the largest Ukrainian charities supporting the army, called the appointment 'wonderful news.'

Former Defense Minister Fedorov, an ally of Drapaty, wrote on social media: 'He is a breath of fresh air and new hope in the struggle of a free people for freedom and justice.'

In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the change would not affect the course of the war.

He told journalists during a daily press briefing: 'I do not think this will lead to any changes at all,' adding: 'Our armed forces continue their offensive along the entire front line.'

Acting Defense Minister Yevgeniy Khmara (left) and the new commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian armed forces Mykhailo Drapaty in a photo amid the Russian offensive on Ukraine... in Kyiv, Ukraine on July 22, 2026 (Reuters)

'An extremely difficult phase'

Although Ukraine is in one of its best positions on the front in months, Drapaty faces immense challenges.

The army has been shaken by several scandals, notably regarding an unpopular mobilization campaign, treatment of conscripts, and reports of widespread absenteeism and lack of equipment in some units.

Former army commander Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, who was dismissed in 2024, said: 'The task of the new commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian armed forces will be extremely difficult, much harder than he imagines.'

The public debate last week revealed previously hidden divisions within Ukraine's military and political leadership.

Drapaty's appointment is seen as an attempt to mend this rift, but it places high expectations on him.

Prytula said that 'appointments that come against a background of social unrest are always risky,' adding that Drapaty now faces 'overblown expectations.'

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