Ukrainian President Zelensky announced on Friday, November 29th, the appointment of General Mykhailo Drapatyi as the commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces.
Zelensky stated on social media platform Telegram, “The Ukrainian military needs internal reforms to fully achieve the nation’s goals.” He added, “General Mykhailo Drapatyi successfully organized the defense of the Kharkiv front and thwarted Russia’s advances.”
During the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Drapatyi served as the head of the Kharkiv Operation Strategic Group, later being reassigned to a similar position in Luhansk.
Drapatyi holds numerous military honors, including being awarded all three ranks of the Bohdan Khmelnytskyi Medal, Ukraine’s highest military honor, from 2016 to 2022.
Zelensky also appointed Colonel Oleh Apostol as the Deputy Chief Commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
In his statement, Zelensky said, “Colonel Oleh Apostol is an experienced commander who has led the 95th Independent Airborne Assault Brigade.”