Ukrainian Soldiers Welcome Drapaty as Army Chief but Still Want Fedorov Back

Ukrainian soldiers and civilians told AFP on Wednesday they welcomed the appointment of Mykhailo Drapaty as the new army commander in the fifth year of Russia’s invasion, and they were still hoping for the return of a popular defense minister. 

The surprise replacement of reformist minister Mykhailo Fedorov last week brought several thousand people to the streets demanding his reinstatement and the removal of army chief Oleksandr Syrsky. 

Faced with the largest war-related protests since Russia’s 2022 invasion, President Volodymyr Zelensky sacked Syrsky on Tuesday and replaced him with Drapaty. 

In Izyum, a city 30 kilometers (20 miles) from Russian positions, a 22-year-old soldier who gave his military nickname Khrest said Syrsky’s departure was a “good thing” but still wanted Fedorov to return to government. 

According to Khrest, Fedorov was lobbying for the widespread introduction of fixed-term contracts – a key demand by soldiers, many of whom are fighting without a set term, even though the war is in its fifth year.

“He’s introducing contracts so that mobilized soldiers at least know how long they’ll have to serve,” the soldier told AFP. 

“And he’s also trying to make sure soldiers get some rest.” 

Respected ‘combat officer’ 

Svitlana, 48, a nurse in an airborne assault unit, also saw the arrival of Drapaty – a respected “combat officer” – as “positive.” 

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She was grateful to civilians for protesting to oust Syrsky. 

“I believe only civil society can influence these processes. While we are here defending rights, people went out and defended theirs,” she said. 

She also valued the “digitalization” led by ex-minister Fedorov, describing him as a “good manager,” but also warning not to “idealize” the young official. 

During his tenure, “pay has started to decrease somewhat, and that affects our families,” she noted. 

She did not yet have an opinion on Yevhen Khmara, Fedorov’s successor, who comes from the security services. 

For 69-year-old Oleh in Kyiv, the removal of Syrsky was not enough. 

“People got together to support Fedorov... the aim has not yet been achieved,” he said. 

Oleh believes that Zelensky tried to “turn the attention” away with Fedorov’s removal and thinks that things could only change with a replacement “at the top” of government.

Taisiia Obod, a 21-year-old political science student, also hoped Fedorov would remain “within government” and that momentum for his “reforms and initiatives” would be maintained.