Ukraine taps younger general to lead armed forces in major shake-up

President Zelenskyy appointed 43-year-old Mykhailo Drapatyi as commander-in-chief, replacing Oleksandr Syrsky in Ukraine’s biggest military leadership shake-up since 2024, signaling a generational reset as Kyiv seeks to reshape its strategy amid public backlash and a cabinet reshuffle that included defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov’s dismissal; Syrsky is expected to be formally removed soon, while Drapatyi, a noted battlefield commander, takes the top post.