Jump to content

Mykhailo Drapatyi

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mykhailo Drapatyi
Михайло Драпатий
Official portrait, 2026
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Incumbent
Assumed office
21 July 2026
PresidentVolodymyr Zelenskyy
Prime MinisterSerhii Koretskyi
Preceded byOleksandr Syrskyi
Commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
In office
3 June 2025 – 21 July 2026
PresidentVolodymyr Zelenskyy
Prime MinisterDenys Shmyhal
Yulia Svyrydenko
Serhii Koretskyi
Preceded byAndrii Hnatov
Commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces
In office
29 November 2024 – 1 June 2025
PresidentVolodymyr Zelenskyy
Prime MinisterDenys Shmyhal
Preceded byOleksandr Pavliuk
Succeeded byHennadii Shapovalov
Personal details
BornMykhailo Vasyliovych Drapatyi
(1982-11-21) 21 November 1982 (age 43)
Kamianets-Podilskyi, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Children2
EducationNational Defense University of Ukraine Ivan-Chernyakhovsky
Awards
List
Military service
AllegianceUkraine
BranchUkrainian Ground Forces
Years of service
2004–present
RankMajor General
CommandsCommander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Commander of the Ground Forces
Odesa Operational-Strategic Group
58th Motorized Brigade
30th Mechanized Brigade
2nd Battalion, 72nd Mechanized Brigade
Battles/wars

Mykhailo Vasyliovych Drapatyi (Ukrainian: Михайло Васильович Драпатий; born 21 November 1982) is a Ukrainian military officer who has served as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine since 21 July 2026. Prior to this, he was the Commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from 3 June 2025.[1] He served as commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces from 2024 to 2025.

Aside from his current role, he has held several notable commands including second battalion of the 72nd Mechanized Brigade during the 2014 Battle of Mariupol, the Zelenopillia rocket attack and the subsequent breakout, Chief of Staff and First Deputy Commander of the 30th Mechanized Brigade, commander of the 58th Motorized Infantry Brigade and commander of several operational-strategic and operational-tactical groups.

He has also received several notable awards, including the full Order of Bohdan Khmelnytskyi, the Cross of Military Merit and Hero of Ukraine.

Early life and education

[edit]

Drapatyi was born in Kamianets-Podilskyi, Khmelnytskyi Oblast, on 21 November 1982. After graduating from high school, he enrolled in the Kharkiv Institute of Tank Troops. He graduated in 2004, after which he began service as a Lieutenant in the 72nd Mechanized Brigade, which is based in Bila Tserkva, Kyiv Oblast.[2]

Military career

[edit]

His first command was as a Major, commander of second battalion, 72nd Mechanized Brigade.[3][4] His battalion was deployed to eastern Ukraine in April 2014, taking part in the Battle of Mariupol in May that year.[4][5] On 9 May, armed separatists attempted to seize the Mariupol police department. Drapatyi's battalion was sent with armoured vehicles to free hostages and reinforce the units that were defending the station.[2][6] Leading at the head of a column of four armoured vehicles, his BMP smashed through a barricade. Videos of this were broadcast on international news.[2][7][a]

In June that year, the first and second battalions were sent on a raid along the Russian border alongside the 3rd Special Forces Regiment, 24th Mechanized Brigade, 51st Guards Mechanized Brigade and the 79th Air Assault Brigade. They were tasked with cutting off the separatists from Russia. They travelled over 160 kilometres, taking control of several settlements,[2][6] though were eventually encircled by both Russian and Donetsk People's Republic forces near Chervonopartyzansk, Luhansk Oblast,[8] coming under BM-21 Grad and BM-27 Uragan rocket fire between 4–7 August.[2][6][7]

To breakout, they had to pass through 40 kilometres of Russian-held territory without support and with unreliable communication. The first battalion surrendered, destroying their weapons and withdrawing across the nearby Russian border.[8] Drapatyi led the remaining units to Zelenopillia, Donetsk Oblast, and on 7 August he led a breakout with the 260 soldiers and 30 pieces of military equipment that remained, lasting three days.[7] The breakout was successful, allowing them to return to Ukrainian lines,[6][7] losing one soldier in the process.[7]

After his battalion was reconstituted,[7] he became a Lieutenant Colonel,[2] enrolling in the National Defense University of Ukraine in 2014 and, after graduating, became Chief of Staff and First Deputy Commander of the 30th Mechanized Brigade.[4][7]

He took command of the 58th Motorized Infantry Brigade on 17 October 2016. In June 2017, he received his Masters at the operational-tactical level and,[2] in July, began directing their operations in the Joint Forces Operation zone around the Bakhmut highway.[2][5][6] In April 2019 he became Colonel,[2][4] later handing command over in August 2019,[4][6] so that he could undertake the two-year operational-tactical and operational-strategic courses at the National Defence University.[2][4][6][9] He graduated on 18 June 2021 as the top graduate, for which he was presented the Queen's Sword of the United Kingdom by then British Ambassador to Ukraine, Melinda Simmons.[2][9]

He was then appointed Deputy Commander of Operational Command North. Alongside this, he was appointed Deputy Commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for training in August 2021, later being promoted to Brigadier General on 6 December that year. On 17 March 2022, he was appointed Deputy Commander of the Southern Command of the UGF, leading the Kakhovka Operational Group of Forces (OGF) from 15 June and the Kryvyi Rih OGF from 30 September. As a part of the latter, his forces stopped the offensive and counterattacked, advancing 6–23 kilometres and liberating several settlements in Kherson and Dnipropetrovsk Oblasts.[2]

In 2023, he was appointed commander of the Odesa Operational-Strategic Group. In this role, he increased the use of drones, electronic warfare and their coordination.[8] Some time prior to handing over command on 12 January 2024, he commanded the Kherson Special Operations Command.[2] He was appointed the Deputy Chief of the General Staff for training on 10 February 2024.[2][3][8]

Following the commencement of Russia's Kharkiv Offensive on 10 May 2024, it was discovered that the soldiers under the Kharkiv Operational-Tactical Group were underprepared despite several prior indications that an offensive would happen.[8] Drapatyi was selected to replace then commander of the group, Yuriy Halushkin, on 11 May, officially taking command the following day while remaining in his role as Deputy Chief of the General Staff.[8][4] Coordination improved, allowing the situation to stabilise and preventing further advances by Russian forces, later leading to a Ukrainian advance in Lyptsi.[8]

Drapatyi took command of the Luhansk Operational-Tactical Group between 5–10 September 2024,[8][10] where he again improved the situation on the front line.[8]

Commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces

[edit]

He was appointed the Commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces on 29 November 2024,[11][12] becoming the youngest officer to hold that post in Ukraine's history.[13] Drapatyi announced on 12 December 2024 that he would be conducting major reforms within the Ukrainian Ground Forces (UGF),[14][15] including an updated recruitment system to eliminate corruption, improved training to better fit battlefield needs and the integration of advanced technology into training.[15] In January 2025, the Defense Ministry’s Main Inspectorate conducted a comprehensive inspection of the UGF to evaluate management, processes, and adherence to its rules.[14]

Of particular note were issues with the 155th Mechanized Brigade and the 156th Separate Mechanised Brigade.[16][17][18] The 155th Mechanised Brigade, as of November 2024, had had approximately 1,700 defectors, a third of its service members at the time. The Economist noted that "On its return the brigade was splintered: units and kit were hived off to other brigades, trained specialists were reassigned to infantry platoons, and desertions spiked as inexperienced units were sent to forward positions and took heavy losses."[17]

A hotline for the unit was set up and several measures were implemented to improve it, such as enhancing training, recruiting experienced officers and commanders and supplying the unit with further equipment.[16] Similar issues were noted with the 156th Separate Mechanised Brigade and similar measures were implemented.[18]

In addition to his duties as Commander of the UGF, on 26 January 2025 President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed Drapatyi the commander of the Khortytsia Operational-Strategic Group, an area Zelenskyy described as "the most intense areas of combat".[19]

On 1 June 2025, Drapatyi resigned from the role the commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces following an attack on a training base that killed twelve soldiers and wounded 60 other.[20][21] According to the Institute for the Study of War, Drapatyi stated that his reasons for resigning were failing "to ensure the proper execution of his orders", along with attempt to establish standard for personal accountability – "Ukraine's military is disadvantaged by a command culture that is unwilling to accept personal responsibility for and learn from battlefield failures." He also stated that he must take responsibility and resign as his efforts to root out this attitude from the Ukrainian Ground Forces failed.[22]

Commander of the Joint Forces

[edit]

On 3 June 2025, Drapatyi was appointed by Zelenskyy to become head of the Ukrainian military's Joint Forces Command,[23] and was succeeded as Commander of the Ground Forces by Hennadii Shapovalov on 19 June 2025.[24]

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces

[edit]

On 21 July 2026, Drapatyi was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, replacing Oleksandr Syrskyi after a week of protests against the removal of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.[25][13] Drapatyi was a supporter of Fedorov's reforms in the military, which were mainly aimed at technological modernization, and is expected to continue many of the measures advanced by Fedorov.[26] Fedorov praised the appointment, calling Drapatyi "a breath of fresh air and a new source of hope."[27]

Public statements

[edit]

In a 2023 interview recorded as part of a documentary project by Ukrainer and released in full in July 2026 following his appointment as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Drapatyi described Russia as "a nation, along with its leadership, that has no right to exist", arguing that, in his view, the Russian nation had remained fundamentally unchanged in its mentality and imperial ambitions for over a millennium.[28][29]

In the same interview, Drapatyi said that he had believed a war with Russia to be inevitable even before 2014, arguing that after Ukraine gained independence in 1991, successive governments had failed to pursue full political and strategic independence from Russia. He also stated that the Donetsk and Luhansk regions are made up of "criminal elements" with people who "want handouts and don't want to work,"[30] and had historically received insufficient attention in terms of Ukrainization, contributing to the emergence of a population segment that lacked a Ukrainian national consciousness.[29]

Awards

[edit]

Drapatyi received the full Order of Bohdan Khmelnytskyi, his first in August 2016, his second in 2018 and his third in July 2022.[10] He has received other awards, including the Cross of Military Merit and the Firearms award of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.[6]

Personal life

[edit]

Drapatyi is married and has two children: a son and a daughter.[2]

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ "УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №384/2025"Про призначення М.Драпатого Командувачем об'єднаних сил Збройних Сил України"". 3 June 2025. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 "Михайло Драпатий" [Mykhailo Drapatyi]. Mind (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 29 November 2024.
  3. 1 2 "President appoints Mykhailo Drapatyi as new Commander of Land Forces". Ukrinform. 29 November 2024. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Commander of operational-tactical grouping Kharkiv changed amid Russian offensive". RBC-Ukraine. 13 May 2024. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  5. 1 2 "Новим командувачем Сухопутних військ призначений Михайло Драпатий – Зеленський" [Mykhailo Drapaty appointed new commander of the Land Forces – Zelensky]. Radio Svoboda (in Ukrainian). 29 November 2024. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Sitnikova, Irena (13 February 2023). "First shot in Donbas, dispersal of Maidan, international peacekeeping missions: Introducing Ukraine's new top brass". hromadske. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "'Bars' replaced 'Volonter': New leadership of Ukrainian Armed Forces". RBC-Ukraine. 12 February 2024. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Three high-profile personnel appointments in Armed Forces of Ukraine and Presidential Office". Censor. 2 December 2024. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  9. 1 2 "MANIPULATION: Ukrainian army officer kneels before British Ambassador, demonstrating subservience". Vox Ukraine. 28 June 2024. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  10. 1 2 Kyrylenko, Olha; Kizilov, Yevhen (17 September 2024). "Commander Drapatyi transferred to Donetsk Oblast after stabilisation of situation on front line in Kharkiv Oblast". Ukrainska Pravda. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  11. ↑ "Ukrainian president promises more military shake-ups to enhance efficiency". New Voice. 2 December 2024. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  12. ↑ "Ukraine's Zelensky names new land forces chief, says changes needed". The Straits Times. 30 November 2024. Archived from the original on 1 December 2024. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  13. 1 2 "Who is Mykhailo Drapatyi, Ukraine's new army chief?". Reuters. 22 July 2026.
  14. 1 2 Zadorozhnyy, Tim (2 January 2025). "Ukraine to conduct review of Ground Forces command, defense minister announces". The Kyiv Independent. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  15. 1 2 "Ukraine's new Ground Forces chief announces reforms focused on personnel, tech". The Kyiv Independent. 13 December 2024. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  16. 1 2 "Drapatyi reported to Zelenskyy on 155th Brigade: Explained situation, named reasons, responsible people". Censor. 8 January 2025. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  17. 1 2 "A French-sponsored Ukrainian army brigade has been badly botched". The Economist. 16 January 2025. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 19 January 2025.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  18. 1 2 "Comprehensive group of General Staff conducted inspection at 156th Brigade, revealing number of significant shortcomings". Censor. 19 January 2025. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  19. ↑ "Zelensky appoints General Drapatyi to lead Khortytsia group of forces". Ukrinform. 26 January 2025. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  20. ↑ Varenikova, Maria; Kuznietsova, Anastasia; Vasilyeva, Nataliya (1 June 2025). "Large-Scale Ukrainian Attack Targets Air Bases in Russia, Authorities Say". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  21. ↑ "Ukrainian Land Forces Commander resigns after Russian attack that killed 12 soldiers on training grounds". The Kyiv Independent. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
  22. ↑ "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, June 1, 2025". Institute for the Study of War. 1 June 2025. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
  23. ↑ Kateryna Hodunova (3 June 2025). "Drapatyi made Commander of Joint Forces after submitting resignation over Russian strike on Ukrainian training camp". The Kyiv Independent. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
  24. ↑ "Zelenskiy appoints new commander of Ukraine's land forces". Reuters. 19 June 2025. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
  25. ↑ Murray, Warren (22 July 2026). "Ukraine war briefing: Mykhailo Drapatyi takes over as Kyiv's top commander". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 22 July 2026.
  26. ↑ Santora, Marc (22 July 2026). "Ukraine's New Military Chief Faces a Monumental Test". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
  27. ↑ Skorkin, Kostiantyn (22 July 2026). "How does a general who resigned over the deaths of 12 soldiers return a year later to lead Ukraine's army? Meet Mykhailo Drapatyi, the new commander-in-chief". Meduza. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
  28. ↑ Melkozerova, Veronika (24 July 2026). "Mykhailo Drapatyi: Can new Ukraine army chief alter Russia war's direction?". Al Jazeera.
  29. 1 2 "In an old interview, Ukraine's new commander-in-chief Mykhailo Drapatyi said Russia 'has no right to exist'". Meduza. 23 July 2026.
  30. ↑ "Драпатий заявив, що жителі Донбасу «здебільшого» – це «кримінальні елементи», «не свідоме населення», яке хоче «халяви і не хоче працювати»" (in Russian). Retrieved 6 September 2026.

Notes

[edit]
  1. ↑ The video can be seen here: "Tank APC Jumps Barricade, Mariupol". BS TV. 10 May 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2026.
    Best-known remix: "Tank Smashes Through Barricade - Primo Victoria". SebastianTV. 23 March 2018. Retrieved 22 July 2026. Just a Ukrainian BMP smashing through barricades.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mykhailo_Drapatyi&oldid=1373478555"