Ukraine’s new army chief is a national legend because of a clip from 2014

In Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has officially named Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi as the new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. He replaces Oleksandr Syrskyi, who stepped down on July 21 after leading military operations since early 2024.

The decision followed extensive talks among top military leaders, especially in the wake of the ousting of the popular, now-former Defense Minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, who was dismissed last week.

To people outside Ukraine, Mykhailo Drapatyi is probably not a familiar name, but in Ukraine, he is the closest you come to a living legend.

And the reason is a video clip from 2014.

Crimean annexation

On May 9, 2014, the strategic port city of Mariupol became a flashpoint when pro-Russian separatists, coordinated by covert Russian operatives, attempted to seize the city’s police headquarters. Facing a heavily armed ambush, local police officers who remained loyal to Kyiv refused to surrender and became trapped inside the burning building.

With the local chain of command collapsing and internal security forces overwhelmed, a column of the Ukrainian Army’s 72nd Mechanized Brigade was dispatched on a high-stakes rescue mission to break the siege and prevent the city from falling into separatist control.

Leading the vanguard was then-Major Mykhailo Drapatyi, commanding a column of BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles. As his unit advanced through the chaotic city streets, they were suddenly cut off by an angry, pro-Russian crowd and a makeshift barricade of tires, sandbags, and debris designed to trap the armor and trigger an ambush.

Recognizing that stopping would hand the initiative to the militants and doom the besieged police officers, Drapatyi made a split-second decision that cemented his place in Ukrainian military folklore.

He ordered his driver to accelerate to maximum speed, utilizing the barricade as a launch ramp. The armored vehicle went fully airborne, crashing through the blockade in a dramatic show of resolve that stunned the hostile crowd, cleared the path for his unit, and ultimately laid the groundwork for his legendary status as a commander who refuses to back down.

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Battle-tested general

Sources familiar with the discussions of who would become the new Commander-in-Chief after Syrskyi told United24 Media that Drapatyi was widely viewed as the most qualified officer for the role.

“He has the most experience after Syrskyi,” people familiar with the deliberations said.

Drapatyi brings a reputation for straight talk and frontline leadership. Soldiers and veterans respect him for addressing failures directly without focusing on his political image. His wartime service dates back to 2014, when he commanded troops in the Donbas and led the key breakout in Mariupol.

Behind his rise is a strong push for military innovation. While leading operations along the Eastern Front, Drapatyi championed the Drone Line initiative, which creates a 10- to 15-kilometer kill zone behind the front line using swarms of unmanned aircraft. Drapatyi noted that up to 90 percent of frontline defense relied directly on unmanned systems under his command.

This article is made and published by Jens Asbjørn Bogen, who may have used AI in the preparation