World · 22 July 2026
Zelenskyy replaces top general after mass protests in Ukraine
Photo: President Of Ukraine from Україна (CC0 (public domain))
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy fired General Oleksandr Syrskyi as Ukraine's commander-in-chief on Tuesday, following days of widespread protests demanding his removal. Mykhailo Drapatyi, a 43-year-old major general, has been appointed as the new head of the armed forces. The protests began last Thursday after Zelenskyy removed popular Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, citing an unworkable rift between Fedorov and Syrskyi.
Reported by Associated Press · How we write briefs