Who is Mykhailo Drapatty, the new Commander General of Ukraine?

His appointment has been welcomed by both civil and military society. Drapatyi's name was cheered during the protests that began in support of his friend, former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, but ended up demanding Syrsky's dismissal.

There is no better person for this position nowadays in Ukraine”, a Ukrainian soldier told BBC- In.

Drapati's support rests on years of military experience in post-Soviet Ukraine, his skills as a general on the ground, and his reputation as a human commander and strong among the military.

He graduated from the Institute of Tank Corps in Kharkiv in 2004, and began serving as Lieutenant.

Ten years later, he gained fame when the sights became viral showing his combater infantry vehicle breaking up an improvised barricade.

It was May 2014, and pro-Russian separatists had occupied parts of eastern Ukraine, when the Dratity battalion entered the southern town of Marioupolis to free the hostages held in the city's police department.

He later recalled that he had been told that there were barricades more than a meter tall ahead and that he had been asked what to do. I said, let's take it by force. This video made headlines around the world”, he said in an interview.

Later that year, he was praised for withdrawing Ukrainian units from a border area of the Luhansk region.

Drapatity returned to university in 2021 for further operational and strategic training and was given a sword of honour as the best graduate in June 2021 by British Ambassador Melinda Simmons.

When Russia's full - scale conquest began in February 2022, Drapati was deputy commander of the joint forces.

He led operational groups ? temporary task force in several frontline areas, successfully pushing Russian troops' progress towards Krivii Rich and releasing a number of settlements in the Kherson and Dniproprirovsk regions.

By 2024 he led Ukrainian troops and led labor groups in some of the most intense areas of fighting in the east.

Less than a year later, a training site in the Dnepropetrovski region was targeted by a Russian missile and 12 soldiers were killed and another 60 were injured in the attack, reports the BBC.

Drapaty resigned the same day, saying he took personal responsibility for “The complete silence and impunity” that had led to his death.

An army in which commanders bear personal responsibility for staff life continues to live. An army in which no one is responsible for a loss dies”, he wrote.

This was seen as a sign of personal responsibility, and Zelensky's decision to appoint him commander of the Joint Forces of Ukrainian Armed Forces was widely praised.

Since then, rumours of tension with Syrsky have become stronger.

“Drapathy is a relatively new general. He's talented. He has always been sent to countries where the situation was extremely difficult”, an unnamed officer told Ukrainian media in June 2025. “I don't think he has political ambitions. However, I am sure that his ambitions are not limited to the position of commander of the Land Forces or Joint Forces. ”

A little over a year later, Styrsky has left, and the hopes for Drapati are great.

“Drapatyi has a very good reputation among ordinary soldiers especially those who joined after 2022 as civilians”, says Mykola Bielieskov, senior analyst at Ukrainian NGO Come Back Alive. But he notes that Drapaty will have to act under serious restrictions.

The General Command has a lot of impact. But war is a combination of government, president's office, military suppliers, dependence on [Western] partners... so he has a hard way ahead. ”

The prospects of a ceasefire with Russia remain slim, and Ukraine faces another severe war winter.

Mobilising the workforce is a priority, and from Drapati is also expected to fight corruption affecting all military levels, from recruiting officers to procurement in defence.

Meanwhile, it will have to take advantage of Ukraine's extraordinary technological advances and the flourishing technology protection industry, which has led Ukraine's recent successes in the field of battle.

In his first message after being appointed Commander General, Drapatty accepted the difficulty of his task and promised to work “without making high promises, responsible for our decisions and respectfully” for those on the front line.

Many will seek a change from what was viewed as an outdated “ ” of Syrsky's fighting, which gave little value to human life in favor of brutal offensives.

“It is an important role and people will expect rapid changes”, analyst Bielieskov said, warning against “excessive simplification” that could lead to demand for comprehensive improvements at an unrealistic time.

This has been repeated by former Interior Minister Olexie Kokytko's adviser. As the general commander, he pointed out, “you worship and love from all over today, you will not want from all around you tomorrow, and you are guilty of everything after tomorrow, without any of your achievements that matter”.

Valery Zalluzny, who was dismissed from duty by the army chief in 2024, predicted that Drapaty would experience a very difficult time. Much more difficult than you imagine he was”.

But among many ordinary soldiers and Ukrainians, there is a keen feeling of enthusiasm for the new change in view that Drapati represents. One said that if Mykhailo Fedorov were to return as defence minister, his leadership and Drapati would be Russia's worst <x0m>macth.

When Drapaty resigned from his position in 2025, he listed the issues he had handled in the Earth Forces from combat training reform to unfair mobilization, corruption and flawed procurement systems.

“expected resistance, but efforts should be added”, he said at the time.

He will face similar problems in his new role, though on a much wider scale and under the eyes of the whole country. /Periscope/