Zelensky fires Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi and appoints Drapatyi as replacement following protests

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed General Oleksandr Syrskyi as commander-in-chief of Ukraine's armed forces on Tuesday, July 22, 2026, appointing Mykhailo Drapatyi, commander of Ukraine's Joint Forces, as his replacement. The dismissal followed days of mass protests in Kyiv and other cities triggered by Zelensky's earlier removal of popular Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who had publicly clashed with Syrskyi over the direction of Ukraine's war strategy. Zelensky also offered Fedorov a new government position overseeing Ukraine's technology sector, though it was unclear whether the offer was accepted.