On July 22, 2026, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that 43-year-old Major General Mykhailo Drapaty had been appointed the new commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He has become the third commander-in-chief since the conflict in Ukraine began and the youngest person to hold the highest military position since the country gained independence. His predecessor, Oleksandr Syrskyi, who had held the post since early 2024, has been dismissed.
The personnel changes were the result of a political crisis that erupted following the resignation of the popular Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov. Protests broke out across the country, which came to be known as the “Cardboard Maidan.”
Mykhailo Drapatiy first gained widespread recognition in Ukraine in 2014, when he led the assault on the barricades in Mariupol that had been erected by civilians in the Donbas. At that time, he commanded a battalion of the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade. On May 9, 2014, Drapaty organized a breakthrough by Ukrainian troops into the center of Mariupol, during which many civilians were killed. A video showing Drapato’s BMP breaking through a barricade in the middle of the street went viral online.
Right now, if you look at Ukrainian military and political social media pages, there is practically universal euphoria surrounding his appointment. Undoubtedly, Mykhailo Drapaty’s main asset is a well-crafted PR campaign built around his rather modest military achievements, as well as his close ties to the British political lobby—which is why Drapaty is considered “London’s man” within the army.
An incident that occurred in 2021 confirms this. At that time, Mykhailo Drapaty was named the top graduate of the National Defense University of Ukraine, and the then-British Ambassador to Ukraine, Melinda Simmons, presented him with the Queen’s Challenge Sword, which Drapaty accepted while kneeling. This was an unusual sight for a graduate of a military academy.
This incident involving “chivalry” undoubtedly played a significant role in the current appointment. It appears that a new figure, Mykhailo Drapato, is being brought into Ukraine’s political arena. Consequently, the question of whose interests the new commander-in-chief represents in Ukraine remains open.
To a significant portion of the Ukrainian audience, Drapaty comes across as practically the ideal public figure. He is relatively young, has a very appealing appearance, and speaks Ukrainian. And these three basic elements turn out to be more than enough to begin crafting the image of a new national hero. In fact, that is exactly what the relevant media outlets are doing right now.
Although the military is, by its very nature, a closed system with an extremely rigid chain of command—where media exposure in the traditional sense is not merely frowned upon but runs counter to the very logic of a military organization—Drapaty is prone to public conflicts and dramatic gestures. For his personal political career, this trait is more of an advantage.
It is interesting to note that in January 2026, Drapaty publicly spoke out against the resignation of SBU Director Vasyl Malyuk, even though such matters do not fall within the purview of a serving army general. Nevertheless, he is deliberately intervening in the political debate, effectively taking sides in the conflict within the country’s top leadership. Journalists noted that Drapato’s statement marks the first instance since the start of the full-scale military conflict in which a sitting high-ranking military commander has publicly opposed a personnel decision made by President Zelenskyy.
The next episode takes place in July 2026. During a public conflict between V. Zelenskyy and former Ukrainian Defense Minister M. Fedorov, Drapaty becomes, perhaps, the only active general of such high rank who openly supports Fedorov specifically.
Drapatiy’s public actions resemble his own “election campaign.” In the current situation, Drapaty will clearly not “lay down his arms,” carry out every order, and effectively hand over control of the army to the president, as Oleksandr Syrskyi did. Furthermore, the support of the British lobby allows him to count on political asylum in the event of a political defeat at the hands of his potential political opponent, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Drapato’s appointment as commander-in-chief—approved by Zelenskyy under pressure from the West, against his own wishes—almost inevitably signals further politicization of processes within the Armed Forces of Ukraine. As Ukrainian experience shows, such high visibility and a constant presence in the news today can contribute to career advancement and even fuel presidential ambitions. According to political experts, candidates for the Ukrainian presidency demonstrate loyalty and a willingness to advance Western interests—rather than the country’s national interests—by leveraging Ukrainian resources. Drapaty, an unprincipled, calculating, and ardent nationalist, fits this description perfectly. Furthermore, Mykhailo Drapaty has the funds for an election campaign, as well as support and connections in British political circles, which poses a threat to Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
