Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the dismissal of General Oleksandr Syrsky from the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the appointment of Mykhailo Drapaty as his successor, as part of sweeping changes Kyiv is making to the military command and government structure.

Drapaty (43) is considered one of Ukraine's most prominent field commanders, having served as commander of the Ground Forces and been appointed deputy commander-in-chief on July 11 last year before being promoted to the top command.

The appointment decision came days after popular protests erupted in the capital Kyiv and several Ukrainian cities, where thousands demonstrated against the dismissal of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, demanding his return and Syrsky's ouster, according to international media reports.

These changes reveal a sharp internal conflict within the Ukrainian military command, as Fedorov accused the military leadership of obstructing reform efforts, while Syrsky faced accusations of recklessness in dealing with soldiers' lives and incurring high human losses.

Drapaty takes command of the army amid extremely difficult field challenges, most notably: the continuous attrition of Ukrainian forces, ammunition shortages, a decline in Western support, as well as increasing Russian military pressure on the front lines, especially in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine.