The new commander of the Ukrainian army faces many challenges.

Reference News Network reported on July 25 According to Reuters on July 22, at a critical moment in the war with Russia, Ukraine's newly appointed top commander faces numerous challenges, including addressing troop shortages, reforming the command structure, and gaining an advantage in the rapidly evolving drone warfare.

Mykhailo Drahapat represents a younger generation of senior commanders. On the 21st, he was appointed by President Zelensky as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, succeeding 60-year-old Oleksandr Syrskyi. Some soldiers have criticized Syrskyi for his rigid style, which has led to significant losses for the military.

Syrskyi took office in 2024. Recently, due to Zelensky's reshuffle of the government, the popular Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov was dismissed, leading to rare protests in Ukraine, with the focus directed at Syrskyi.

Protesters expressed anger at Syrskyi's leadership style, demanding his resignation and the return of Fedorov to the position of Defense Minister.

The 43-year-old Drahapat seems well-suited for his new role. He was a battlefield commander, respected by soldiers for his tactical leadership and moral integrity. He has held a series of senior positions, including Commander of the Ukrainian Army.

His role as Army Commander has given him deep insights into troop recruitment and allowed him to accumulate valuable experience. He may leverage this experience to fill significant personnel gaps. It is these gaps that have allowed Moscow to make continuous progress on most fronts. However, at the time of his appointment, Ukraine's wartime leadership is facing an increasingly tense social and political situation. Kyiv is trying to regain the initiative on the battlefield in the fifth year of the war.

Former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and current Ukrainian Ambassador to the UK, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, stated on social media that Drahapat's term will be "much more difficult than he imagines."

Zelensky has initiated the largest military restructuring in Ukraine in recent years. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian military has intensified its long-range strikes against Russia's oil sector and battlefield logistics, weakening Moscow's war efforts.

Although Russian forces continue to advance in strategic locations such as the "fortress belt" in eastern Ukraine (a defensive corridor formed by four key cities in the Donetsk region), their pace of advance has slowed this year.

Russia has intensified its ballistic missile attacks, which have severely impacted Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv. The shortage of U.S.-made air defense systems in Ukraine has further exacerbated the situation.

Zelensky has appointed an interim Defense Minister, but it remains unclear whether Fedorov will return to the government.

The 35-year-old Fedorov was praised for streamlining the bureaucracy, reforming military procurement, and implementing data-driven strategies to deplete Russian forces.

Mykola Beryeskov of the Ukrainian National Institute for Strategic Studies stated that Drahapat must manage a vast front while the functions of the General Staff and the Ministry of Defense have not yet been "fully delineated."

However, he added that this personnel appointment is "an important step to quell protests" and an opportunity to advance reforms.

Beryeskov is also a senior analyst at the Ukrainian NGO "Come Back Alive." He said, "Drahapat is well-respected by soldiers and is willing to engage in dialogue with other key figures in Ukraine."

Drahapat stated on the 22nd that Zelensky has instructed the armed forces to strengthen their offensive and develop their technical capabilities.

The Ukrainian military continues to suffer from abuse of power, corruption, and mismanagement. These issues are prevalent both in conscription and within the military.

In recent weeks, several scandals have emerged, including a non-combat death incident involving a well-known assault brigade and a brigade commander accused of kidnapping and murdering two civilians.

Incidents of conscription officers forcibly drafting eligible men into service have also been common.

Some military and political analysts point out that Drahapat's resignation as Army Commander after significant casualties from consecutive Russian attacks on Ukrainian training bases last year is indicative of his willingness to take responsibility.

Notable military crowdfunding figure Serhiy Prytula praised the integrity of the new top commander but also warned against having "excessively high expectations" for his term.

Prytula wrote on Facebook: "The situation on the front will not automatically stabilize just because Drahapat has taken office." (Translated by Zhu Jie)