23/07/2026 12:31 - Internacionales
According to international media reports, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky officially appointed Mykhailo Drapatyi (43) as the new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces on July 22, 2026. This strategic move aims to modernize the country's defense and bring a fresh technological approach to the conflict, replacing the veteran General Oleksandr Syrskyi (60).
The new Chief of the General Staff will be Major General Ihor Skybiuk, while Yevhen Khmara, former head of the Alpha special operations group of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), assumes the role of acting Defense Minister.
Drapatyi is a military officer with 26 years of service and extensive frontline experience since 2014. Considered a reformist and a hero by much of the population, he is known for leading key operations such as the defense of Mariupol in 2014, the resistance in Kryvyi Rih in 2022, and the counteroffensive that expelled Russian forces from the Kherson region. In 2024, he was instrumental in halting the Russian offensive near Kharkiv.
Unlike his predecessor, Drapatyi belongs to a younger generation and has shown a strong commitment to innovation, including the use of drones to create effective containment zones. In a recent statement, he said: “The president has given us clear tasks: to continue and strengthen offensive operations, plan new operations, and develop the army and its technology. There is difficult work ahead.”
This reshuffle comes after an unusual wave of citizen protests that erupted on July 15, 2026, when Zelensky dismissed the popular Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov (35). Fedorov, known for pushing technology and drone use, had a public dispute with Syrskyi over the direction of the war.
According to Zelensky himself on July 23, 2026, he has offered Fedorov the position of Vice Prime Minister for Military Innovation, a newly created role to coordinate technological matters between the Army, the Ministry, and the Presidency. Although Fedorov has not formally accepted, he remains part of the government team.
Upon leaving office, Syrskyi highlighted the achievements under his command since February 2024, stating that he inherited troops on the defensive and leaves them on the offensive. He noted that during 2026, 743 square kilometers of territory were recaptured. He also emphasized the creation of the world’s first special command dedicated exclusively to the use of drones and interceptor forces, demonstrating that “Ukraine is defended by a heroic people.”
Sources: Infobae, Deutsche Welle, El País and CNN en Español.
Alfredo S. Quiroga
