Syrsky announced his resignation as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and summarized his tenure
On July 22, Oleksandr Syrskyi announced that he was stepping down as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In his farewell address, he summarized his work, highlighted the key achievements of his command, and thanked Ukrainian servicemen for their service.
According to Syrskyi, he took command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in February 2024 during the defense of Avdiivka. One of his first decisions in office was to organize the withdrawal of Ukrainian units from the city, as the top priority was to save the lives of the personnel.
The former Commander-in-Chief noted that under his leadership, the Defense Forces halted the Russian offensive in the Kharkiv region, thwarted an offensive in the Sumy region, and carried out the Kursk operation. According to him, its main objective was to disrupt preparations for a Russian offensive in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions, draw out the enemy’s most combat-ready forces, and replenish the casualty exchange pool.
Syrskyi also announced the creation of a separate branch of the military—the Unmanned Systems Forces—the development of an air defense system using interceptor drones, the transition of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to a corps-level structure, and the reform of the command and staff system.
In addition, he stated that Ukrainian forces had closed the port of Novorossiysk to the Russian navy, are systematically destroying vessels of Russia’s “shadow fleet,” and have carried out the Dobropillia operation and an offensive operation in the Oleksandrivka sector.
According to Syrsky, 700 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory were liberated this year under his command.
“I am handing over to my successor an army that is not only holding its ground but is also on the offensive,” he emphasized.
At the end of his address, Oleksandr Syrskyi thanked the Ukrainian military for their service and stated that he would continue to serve Ukraine regardless of the position he holds.
This is stated in Syrskyi’s address on Telegram.
As a reminder, the new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Mykola Drapatiy, addressed the Ukrainian people.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi, commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, replacing Oleksandr Syrskyi.
