Syrskyi says Ukraine recaptured 700 square kilometres this year as he leaves command

Kyiv, Ukraine. Outgoing Commander in Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said Ukraine has recaptured 700 square kilometres of territory this year, confirming he is leaving the country’s top military post.

“I am handing over to my successor an army that is not only holding the defence but is also on the offensive,” Syrskyi said in a statement on Telegram.

Change of command

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Tuesday that Mykhailo Drapatyi, a young major general, would replace Syrskyi following days of street protests.

The change came after the removal of defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov, described as a tech-savvy reformist, in a broader government reshuffle last week. The developments brought divisions within Ukraine’s defence leadership into public view.

Syrskyi’s record

Syrskyi had served as commander in chief since early 2024. He previously played key roles in Kyiv’s defence during the early days of the war and in the 2022 counteroffensive that retook large areas of the northeastern Kharkiv region.

He faced criticism over what some service members described as a rigid command style that resulted in unjustifiably high troop losses.

In his statement, Syrskyi cited his record, including halting a Russian offensive in the Kharkiv region and an operation in Russia’s Kursk region in 2024.