Chmut named four possible successors to Syrsky as commander-in-chief
Taras Chmut, head of the "Come Back Alive" Foundation, stated that there are only a few military officers in Ukraine who could be considered potential successors to Oleksandr Syrskyi. Among them, he named Andriy Biletsky, Mykhailo Drapaty, Oleg Apostol, and Serhiy Obolensky.
In a new interview with the publication “Ukrainska Pravda,” Taras Chmut, head of the “Come Back Alive” Foundation, shared his thoughts on possible changes in military leadership, personnel policy in the army, and the situation surrounding the Ministry of Defense.
Responding to a question about the possible dismissal of Oleksandr Syrskyi from the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Chmut noted that he had already discussed this topic on numerous occasions with military officials and other experts. According to him, there are only about five to seven people in Ukraine who could potentially be considered for such a high-level position.
Among the possible candidates, he named Andriy Biletsky, commander of the 3rd Army Corps; Mykhailo Drapaty, commander of the Ground Forces; Oleg Apostol, commander of the Airborne Assault Forces; and Serhiy Obolensky. At the same time, Chmut emphasized that even such a short list is insufficient, since the state simultaneously needs candidates for both the position of Commander-in-Chief and Chief of the General Staff.
In his view, a normal command structure requires a broad pool of qualified generals capable of leading the army. In Ukraine, however, according to the foundation’s director, the choice is limited to just a few compromise candidates.
“In other words, we have to choose two out of four. This is an abnormal system that the state has built up over many years, when there are so few people who can take on such high-level, responsible positions,” he said.
Chmut also explained that the reason for this situation is the so-called “negative selection” in the military system. He claims that for many years, career advancement often depended not on professional qualities but on personal loyalty to the leadership. According to him, officers and generals who openly report on the actual state of affairs often fail to receive promotions or even lose their positions altogether.
As a reminder, Zelenskyy may replace Syrskyy with Drapato as commander of the Joint Forces.
Zelenskyy met with commanders of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
On July 20, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with the Secretary of State of the Holy See, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher. The parties discussed support for Ukraine, the Church’s activities, peace initiatives, and the country’s European integration.
