SerpApi.Org
A notice for Drapatyi appeared in the Russian Interior Ministry’s wanted-person database, although it did not specify the article of the Russian Criminal Code under which he is being sought.
Russia’s Investigative Committee had previously charged Drapatyi in absentia over allegations that he directed Ukrainian military operations in 2017 and 2019.
Russian authorities claimed that shelling during those operations killed or injured 154 residents of the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk “people’s republics.”
Syrskyi’s dismissal and Drapatyi’s appointment: What is known
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on the evening of July 21, 2026, that Oleksandr Syrskyi would step down and Joint Forces Commander Mykhailo Drapatyi would become the new commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Syrskyi’s dismissal followed protests in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities that began after Mykhailo Fedorov was removed as defense minister on July 16.
Fedorov said the commander-in-chief had blocked all initiatives proposed by his team and had been “weaving intrigues.”
Drapatyi publicly supported Fedorov, saying the arrival of a new team at the Defense Ministry had created an opportunity to change the military system and address problems whose consequences were felt by troops and commanders.
Over the previous six months, the military had gained a partner at the Defense Ministry that not only met the army’s needs but also demanded changes in established approaches, faster decision-making and support for those willing to take responsibility, Drapatyi said.
Zelenskyy appointed Drapatyi as commander of the Joint Forces in June 2025.
Drapatyi had previously commanded Ukraine’s Ground Forces. He submitted his resignation after a Russian strike on a Ukrainian military training ground, saying he felt personally responsible.
He also said he had sought to eliminate impunity and the practice of protecting colleagues from accountability within the Ground Forces.
“An army in which commanders bear personal responsibility for people’s lives is alive,” Drapatyi said. “An army in which no one is held responsible for losses dies from within.”
Syrskyi had led the Ukrainian Armed Forces since February 2024, when he replaced Valerii Zaluzhnyi.
Read also: Zelenskyy fires Syrskyi, appoints Drapatyi Commander-in-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
