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What to know about the military path of Ukraine's future commander-in-chief?
Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi will become the new commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. His experience includes breaking out of the Izvaryne pocket, stopping the advance on Kryvyi Rih, and participating in the liberation of the right bank of the Kherson region.
RBC-Ukraine explains what is known about the future head of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
"Flying IFV" in Mariupol and breakout from the Izvaryne pocket
The military career of 43-year-old Mykhailo Drapatyi began in the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade. At the start of Russian aggression in May 2014, he commanded the 2nd Battalion of the 72nd Brigade, which participated in freeing hostages in Mariupol.
This is where the famous video of the "flying IFV" comes from, which rammed through a barricade of pro-Russian militants at high speed. The assault was personally ordered by Drapatyi, who was inside the armored vehicle during the operation.
In the summer of that same year, his unit was trapped in a tight ring of fire near the border in the Luhansk region. Under prolonged artillery shelling from Russian territory, Drapatyi took responsibility and led 260 soldiers and more than 30 military vehicles out of the Izvaryne pocket, covering 160 km under fire.
Later, he led the 58th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade and carried out missions in Avdiivka and on the Bakhmut highway. While studying at the National Defense University, he was awarded the Queen's Sword as the best graduate.
Defense of Kryvyi Rih and liberation of Kherson
Drapatyi met the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022 as deputy commander of the Joint Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Key stages of the commander's career:
・March 2022 - headed the Operational Command South, which stopped the Russian advance on Kryvyi Rih.
・Autumn 2022 - led the Kherson group during the successful operation to liberate the right bank of the Kherson region.
・May 2024 - took command of the Kharkiv Operational Tactical Group amid a new enemy offensive and stopped the threat near Vovchansk.
・September 2024 - was appointed head of the Luhansk Operational Tactical Group.
In October 2024, Mykhailo Drapatyi was promoted to the rank of Major General.
Command of the Ground Forces and Joint Forces
In November 2024, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed Major General Drapatyi as commander of the Ground Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. In this position, he replaced Oleksandr Pavliuk.
At that time, the head of state noted the effective organization of defense in the Kharkiv direction under Drapatyi's leadership. In June 2025, Drapatyi resigned as commander of the Ground Forces following several Russian strikes on training centers.
Based on the results of a conversation with the president, Drapatyi moved to another position as commander of the Joint Forces. He has held this position until today.
