Ukraine Under Fire! Zelenskyy Fires Top Army Chief, Thousands Flood Kyiv | Putin ‘Celebrates’

[00:00:02][music] >> In the middle of a grinding war with Russia, Ukraine has just witnessed one of its biggest military shake-ups since the full-scale invasion [music] began.

[00:00:11]Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has fired his army chief, appointed a new commander, and handed a fresh role to his recently dismissed defense minister.

[00:00:23]>> Dear Mr. President, I am grateful for the trust to lead the largest and most [music] powerful branch of the Ukrainian military.

[00:00:32]For my part, I will do my best to ensure that it develops, acquires new capabilities, and is ready for the challenges that await us in the future.

[00:00:41]People, technology, and management processes.

[00:00:44]>> The sweeping overhaul comes as battlefield pressures mount. Public anger grows, and Kyiv searches for a new strategy. Leadership changes during wartime are never routine. They usually signal that a government believes a drastic shift is necessary. Zelenskyy has removed Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, replacing him with Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi, one of Ukraine's most respected battlefield commanders.

[00:01:13]The announcement came in a late-night address, where Zelenskyy laid out his vision for a major overhaul of the military command.

[00:01:24]>> I have decided that Mykhailo Drapatyi will become the new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

[00:01:30]>> But this isn't just about changing one general. It's about changing how Ukraine fights. Drapatyi is expected to lead a sweeping reorganization of the Armed Forces, [music] reshape the General Staff, and improve battlefield coordination.

[00:01:44]>> [music] >> The timing is no coincidence.

[00:01:47]The reshuffle follows days of intense street protests [music] in Kyiv and other cities. Mass demonstrations erupted after Zelenskyy initially sacked Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov following [music] a bitter behind-the-scenes feud with Syrsky over military modernization.

[00:02:05]>> [music] >> Angry citizens and active soldiers demanded the return of Fedorov's tech-forward vision and blamed the traditional military command for failing to adapt quickly enough.

[00:02:15]For Zelensky, this is as much a political survival decision as it is a military one.

[00:02:21]Drapatii brings years of frontline experience. [music] Having fought Russian-backed forces since 2014, he became a national symbol of resistance [music] after famously driving an infantry fighting vehicle through a militant barricade in Mariupol. Military analysts believe his appointment signals a hard pivot toward innovation, drone warfare, and modern battlefield tactics.

[00:02:46]But while [music] Ukraine turns a new page, Zelensky was careful to acknowledge the past.

[00:02:52]>> [music] >> Oleksandr Syrsky delivered results for Ukraine in the defense of Kyiv. I am grateful to Oleksandr Syrsky and to every one of our warriors.

[00:03:00]>> [music] >> The Ukrainian president credited Syrsky with some of the country's biggest military achievements, the early defense of Kyiv, the lightning Kharkiv counteroffensive, and Ukraine's surprise operation inside Russia's Kursk region.

[00:03:13][music] The message was clear. The leadership is changing, but the sacrifices are not forgotten.

[00:03:20]>> [music] >> Crucially, the overhaul extends beyond the battlefield.

[00:03:25]>> [music] >> Former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, whose removal sparked the public backlash, has now been brought back into the fold with the offer of a senior government post.

[00:03:37]>> In my opinion, Fedorov is a completely new kind of leader of a completely new level.

[00:03:44]And at the same time, he is very, very successful. [music] He doesn't need to prove anything to anyone.

[00:03:51]His projects, which he undertook, generally prove this, unlike say the leadership of our armed forces, unfortunately, which so far prove the opposite. And everyone sees this, too.

[00:04:05]And most importantly, we see it. And so there is a choice here. Either we go forward and win, or we stagnate, [music] or we go back.

[00:04:15]And then defeat is very possible.

[00:04:18]>> Zelenskyy says Fedorov will help unite Ukraine's technological strengths and accelerate asymmetric warfare. I offered Mykhailo a worthy leadership position that would allow him to bring together our country's technological capabilities.

[00:04:32]The strategic reset suggests Kyiv wants technology and robotics to dictate the next phase of the war. At the same time, Zelenskyy has established a new special command to ensure one thing remains absolute. Ukraine's long-range drone strikes deep inside Russian territory will continue unabated. As the war enters another difficult year, Ukraine is not changing its objective. It is changing the people expected to deliver it. For Zelenskyy, this isn't just a reshuffle. It's a high-stakes gamble that a new tech-centric command structure can break the battlefield stagnation and swing the course of the war.

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