SerpApi.Org
Khmara expressed confidence in the new commander-in-chief. The two agreed to be honest with each other and resolve any disagreements in the interests of Ukrainian service members, he said.
Working together, they can carry out President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s instructions and create the conditions needed to maximize the effectiveness of Ukraine’s Defense Forces, Khmara said.
“Brigade and corps commanders identified the specific challenges facing the Defense Forces today,” Khmara said. “Our first steps are to support the front, strengthen assistance from our partners and move the war onto the aggressor’s territory as much as possible.”
“To accomplish this, we will ensure combat units have stable and flexible access to effective capabilities, including long-range weapons, while developing technologies and asymmetric solutions,” he added.
Ukraine’s goal remains unchanged: securing a technological advantage over Russian forces and saving as many lives as possible through technological transformation, Khmara said.
Ukraine must expand the capabilities in which its forces have already demonstrated effectiveness, including deep-strike and medium-range strike operations, unmanned ground vehicles and other systems that protect Ukrainian troops while destroying Russian forces more effectively, he said.
Khmara and Drapatyi also discussed their vision for the future of Ukraine’s military.
“We share the same position on the development of Ukraine’s Defense Forces,” Khmara said. “President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has supported our vision.”
“We are working on a strategy — practical steps to end the war on Ukraine’s terms and compel Russia to accept a lasting peace,” he added.
Syrskyi’s dismissal and Drapatyi’s appointment: What is known
Zelenskyy announced on the evening of July 21 that Oleksandr Syrskyi was leaving his position as commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Syrskyi had held the post since February 2024, when he replaced Valerii Zaluzhnyi.
Drapatyi, the 43-year-old commander of Ukraine’s Joint Forces, was appointed as the new commander-in-chief.
Syrskyi’s dismissal came amid protests in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities that began after Mykhailo Fedorov was removed as defense minister on July 16.
The former defense minister said Syrskyi had blocked every initiative proposed by his team and had been “weaving intrigues.”
Syrskyi responded to his dismissal on July 22, saying he would continue serving Ukraine until victory.
Drapatyi said the same day that he had begun performing his duties as commander-in-chief.
Maj. Gen. Ihor Skybiuk, a former commander of Ukraine’s Air Assault Forces, will serve as chief of the General Staff under Drapatyi, he said.
Read also: New Ukraine army commander names Skybiuk as General Staff chief
We’re bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron!
Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Section: Russian war
Author: Дем'ян Шевко
