On 9/5/2014, Major Mykhailo Drapatyi, commander of the 2nd battalion, 72nd Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian army, drove a 13-ton armored vehicle through barricades set up by pro-Russian separatists in Mariupol city, Donetsk province.

Images of Major Drapatyi leading the armored convoy to reinforce a police station besieged by separatists in Mariupol quickly spread, transforming the young commander into a symbol of Ukrainian resistance.

Now, that officer has been promoted to major general, becoming Ukraine's commander-in-chief amidst a period of political and military transition, in a conflict that few could have imagined a decade ago.

This is a war of attrition and high-tech competition, where survival depends on which side adapts faster and integrates continuously improving weaponry into intense daily combat under skies dense with drones.

General Drapatyi, 43, was appointed commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army by President Volodymyr Zelensky on the evening of 21/7, replacing General Oleksandr Syrsky, 60. He represents a new generation of Ukrainian military commanders, believed to be more attuned to modern combat thinking.

Drapatyi is one of the key architects behind Ukraine's "drone defense line." Instead of relying on trench systems that require constant infantry presence, Ukraine established an extended "kill zone" immediately behind the front lines, combining reconnaissance drones, attack drones, and autonomous combat robots. This strategy significantly reduces soldier casualties.

This tactic has helped slow Russia's advance, allowing Ukraine to regain the initiative in some front-line areas for the first time in years. It has also reignited hope for a country weary from conflict, having lost tens of thousands of soldiers.

Mounting challenges

Despite recent positive battlefield developments for Ukraine, particularly long-range strikes on Crimea and deep inside Russian territory, analysts caution that Kyiv must ensure a smooth transition of power among military commanders to maintain its advantage.

The circumstances leading to General Syrsky's dismissal further complicate the challenges. Ukraine experienced political turmoil after President Zelensky dismissed popular Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov last week. Fedorov, 35, had previously disagreed with General Syrsky on combat strategy, including the extent of reliance on drones and robots.

Thousands of protesters took to the streets against President Zelensky's decision to side with General Syrsky. Over six days, crowds shifted from demanding Fedorov's reinstatement to calling for Syrsky's dismissal. On the evening of 21/7, Zelensky acceded to this demand, replacing General Syrsky with General Drapatyi, who supports Fedorov's modern combat philosophy.

"The current risk is that changing the command will create a period of instability while new leaders get up to speed, and Russian forces could exploit that", noted Mick Ryan, a former Australian army general now working at the Lowy Institute, headquartered in Sydney.

"The first challenge for the new command structure is to ensure that the reorganization does not slow the pace of operations, both on the front lines and in deep strikes on Russian territory, or the momentum of the Ukrainian army's innovation", he added.

Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi during an interview last year. Photo: AFP

General Drapatyi also faces the task of resolving inefficiencies in Ukraine's recruitment system, while preparing for the risk of Russia deploying a new mobilization wave.

Furthermore, he must protect Ukraine's energy grid from Russia's upcoming winter attack campaign and halt Moscow's advance into the remaining cities in the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine.

President Zelensky's decision to dismiss Minister Fedorov also exposed internal rifts within Ukraine's leadership regarding the conduct of the war, a problem the new command will need to resolve.

It remains unclear what role Fedorov will assume in the future, but President Zelensky has offered him other positions within the government. However, Fedorov insists he only wishes to return to the Defense Minister position to complete his unfinished reforms.

For General Drapatyi, dealing with the Presidential Office requires careful and balanced calculations. He will need to reconcile maintaining the operational autonomy that reformist forces advocate for, with adapting to President Zelensky's habit of direct command, commented Taras Chmut, a prominent military analyst in Kyiv.

General Syrsky's willingness to follow directives made him an easy partner for President Zelensky. In contrast, General Drapatyi takes command with momentum from reformist supporters, who demand an end to top-down, rigid command styles.

"The difficulties will be far greater than he imagines", remarked Valerii Zaluzhnyi, former commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army, dismissed by Zelensky in 2024 after disagreements over mobilization and counter-offensive strategy, regarding the challenges General Drapatyi may face.

According to Chmut, the real battle in Kyiv lies in defense procurement: what Ukraine will buy for its army using its budget and partner aid, and which major defense corporations will lose revenue from this reorganization. General Drapatyi will find it difficult to intervene deeply in these decisions, as well as in the efforts Fedorov initiated to combat corruption and accelerate the procurement of modern weapons.

Soldiers from Ukraine's 148th Zhytomyr Independent Artillery Brigade firing a CAESAR self-propelled howitzer in Dnipropetrovsk province in June. Photo: AFP

Hope

Liudmyla Buimister, an independent parliament member who was a former commander of Ukrainian special forces, expects General Drapatyi to change the command's mindset, ending excessive political interference in non-battlefield decisions and making troop deployment more systematic and unified.

General Drapatyi is expected to continue promoting many of the technology initiatives Fedorov pursued.

Jack Watling, an analyst at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in London, believes the change in command could pave the way for Fedorov's proposal to use data to enhance the army's operational effectiveness.

General Drapatyi is also expected to empower lower-level commanders to make decisions based on real-time battlefield situations. Under General Syrsky, junior officers often complained about excessive interference from commanders. They could only change combat tactics or withdraw from dangerous positions after receiving approval from the General Staff.

Amidst troop shortages, General Drapatyi, like Fedorov, believes the main causes are a cumbersome bureaucracy, weak training, and corruption, rather than a lack of personnel. Ukraine hopes a fresh approach at the supreme command will boost public morale, encouraging more citizens to voluntarily enlist.

"We have already started to see the morale of both soldiers and citizens improve", Buimister said.

"Everyone is very excited, creating an indescribable source of spiritual motivation", said Sergeant Andrii Klymenko, 45, who is fighting on the southern Ukraine front. "That excitement comes from the belief that the old 'meat grinder' command style has been replaced by genuine, practical leadership."

Vu Hoang (According to Reuters, AFP, AP)