“There’s no room for error”: How the new Commander-in-Chief Drapatiy differs from his predecessors, and what soldiers who started from scratch have to say
23 July 16:39
ANALYSIS
High-level personnel changes have taken place in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Major General Mykhailo Drapatiy has officially assumed the duties of Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Major General Ihor Skybyuk, former commander of the Airborne Assault Forces, with whom Drapatiy worked side by side to lead the operation to liberate the Kherson region in 2022, will head the General Staff.
The reaction from the military community, experts, and the public has been overwhelmingly emotional, and comments from frontline soldiers and senior officers reflect high hopes, coupled with an understanding of the extremely difficult situation on the front lines and within the military system. What specific tasks lie ahead for the new head of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and his team? What are soldiers on the front lines saying about Drapaty? And why are the Russians in a panic? – "Komersant Ukrainian" investigated.
The President of Ukraine has set clear objectives for the new command: to intensify the offensive across all domains, plan operations behind enemy lines, advance technological development, and build up the army’s overall capabilities.
A Focus on Honor and the New Command
The new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Mykhailo Drapatiy, emphasized that he will work without making grandiose promises, but with the utmost responsibility for his decisions and respect for the personnel. Among the commanders who rose through the ranks during Skibuk’s leadership of the Airborne Forces, he singled out Oleg Apostol, Dmytro Voloshin, Yevhen Lasiychuk, Sviatoslav Zayets, Emil Ishkulov, Andriy Tkachuk, and many others.
“We have a difficult task ahead of us, so we will work without grand promises, taking responsibility for our decisions and showing respect for the people who are holding the front lines and helping Ukraine stand firm,” wrote Mykhailo Drapatiy.
Former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valeriy Zaluzhny publicly reacted to the appointment. In his statement, he emphasized the moral principles and values that define honor.
“It will be very difficult for the new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Much harder than he imagines. However, Mykhailo will certainly never be ashamed. A man of honor has no idols, so he has nothing to lose. The only thing he has is duty,” Valerii Zaluzhnyi noted.
“An exceptionally astute strategist and a fierce commander”: what they’re saying on the front lines
In military circles, the personnel changes were received with satisfaction, though without undue fanfare. A serviceman from the front lines, who wished to remain anonymous, noted in a comment that he knows Drapaty personally and is convinced of his professionalism.
“Drapaty is a soldier through and through: an exceptionally astute, intelligent strategist and a truly fierce commander. He is one of those people who perfectly understand the realities of modern warfare—not from the comfort of an office—who are never afraid to take responsibility at a critical moment, and who work exclusively to achieve concrete results on the battlefield,” said the Ukrainian Armed Forces soldier
Other military personnel echo this sentiment. Serviceman Stanislav Bunyatov (call sign “Osman”) called this decision a victory and urged everyone to prepare for information attacks from the Russians and domestic smear campaigns.
“We’re now going to see a massive wave of smear campaigns against Drapaty. Discrediting attacks will pour out of every propaganda outlet. The Russians are in mourning; they’re deeply upset by this appointment… Mykhailo Drapaty needs time; the audit will be lengthy, and there are many problems. For dessert, we’ll get worthy appointments a bit lower down the chain of command, which will help the army destroy the enemy more effectively,”—Stanislav Bunyatov
The author of the popular military Telegram channel “Officer ✙,” Senior Lieutenant “Alex” of the Ukrainian Defense Forces, also notes that Drapaty’s success will largely depend on the composition of his team. According to them, the new Commander-in-Chief is taking office during a period of high social tension, so his actions will be critically evaluated and constantly compared to those of his predecessors:
“Such officials must understand that their role has not only military but also political significance, so they won’t be able to completely ignore the social aspect… There is little room for error—which is precisely why the focus for now is on the composition of his team and the right direction for his work,” says “Alex”
Watch us on YouTube: important topics – without censorship
Protests, Criticism, and Challenges from Society
The leadership change is taking place against a backdrop of sharp criticism of the previous Commander-in-Chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi. In particular, Bogdan Krotevich, the former chief of staff of the Azov Brigade , had previously openly accused Syrskyi of establishing a destructive command structure that led to massive non-combat casualties, non-combat casualties, torture, and impunity for certain commanders. Krotevich reacted to the news of Syrskyi’s resignation with an eloquent “:)” emoji .
At the same time, public debate continues regarding the influence of the civilian population and street protests on military appointments.
Serviceman Kuzma Stepovyi commented
“As for the protests—let people express their opinions. But while they were reasonable at first, now there’s a certain madness creeping in; perhaps Russian agents are infiltrating to undermine this process. On the one hand, civilians and many draft dodgers shouldn’t be telling us how to fight. On the other hand, we in the military can’t express our views with ‘cardboard signs’ because we’re at war, not in Kyiv. As for Drapato’s appointment—though I don’t know him well—he’s the best option available.”
Defense Forces officer Yevhen Tykhyi also raises questions about the country’s decision-making mechanisms during wartime.
“Citizens certainly have the right to express their dissatisfaction. However, something else is surprising: is it even acceptable for decisions regarding the resignation or appointment of the head of the Armed Forces to be made under pressure from street protests and posters? Is this really how the Commander-in-Chief should be selected under the current circumstances? This is a serious question for the country’s military and political leadership,” notes “Tykhyi.”
At the same time, Oleg Symoroz ,a veteran of the Russian-Ukrainian war and civic activist, expressed “cautious optimism” regarding the appointment, noting Drapato’s strong starting position and the positive feedback about his team. He emphasized that the main task now is to completely replace the ineffective system and armchair leaders with respected figures from the military, because without this, Syrsky’s resignation will lose its meaning.
“I have cautious optimism… Get rid of ineffective armchair leaders; rely on respected figures from the military and the civil society sector! Changing the system and approaches is the main priority right now,” said Oleg Symoroz.
Denis Yaroslavsky, commander of a Ukrainian Armed Forces reconnaissance unit , in turn, called the appointment a landmark event and a turning point in military history, and described Drapato as a “new-generation” commander who understands the technology and adaptability required in modern warfare. He wished Drapato success in becoming a visionary for a new military doctrine and education system for future officers, adding that the general now bears an extraordinarily heavy responsibility.
How Russia Is Reacting to Drapato’s Appointment
The appointment of Major General Mykhailo Drapato as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has caused a powerful resonance that has extended far beyond the Ukrainian information sphere. Given the enemy’s reaction over the past 12 hours, the personnel changes in the Ukrainian military can already be considered successful in terms of the information and psychological confrontation. This was stated in a comment by political analyst and head of the Center for Analysis and Strategies, Ihor Chalenko.
According to the expert, a message is currently being actively circulated in Russian media that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are now led by a representative of a new generation of military commanders with modern approaches and a new vision of war.
“The appointment of Commander-in-Chief Drapatiy is seen as representing a new generation. I really like this contrast: Syrskyi was supposedly like Gerasimov—although I personally disagree with that comparison, that’s exactly how it was presented by the Russians. But Drapatiy, who effectively rose from battalion commander to Commander-in-Chief during the war, is practically a disaster for them. And this message about new approaches is spreading quite steadily in Russian media, causing a certain amount of fear,” noted Ihor Chalenko.
The political analyst noted that Kremlin propaganda, including figures such as Skabeeva, attempted to exploit domestic political events and protests in Ukraine to destabilize the information landscape. However, the decision to replace the military leadership thwarted the enemy’s calculations. He says the current situation demonstrates the system’s resilience. Former commanders-in-chief remain in the ranks and continue to work for Ukraine’s defense at this critical moment.
Consequently, the appointment of Mykhailo Drapaty has raised high expectations both among combat units and in the rear. The main challenges for the new command will be conducting a thorough audit of the Armed Forces, correcting systemic errors in military management, establishing communication with the public, and, most importantly, effectively deterring the enemy and implementing new strategic operations.
Read us on Telegram: important topics – without censorship
