Zelenskyy sacks Syrskii: How many generals have Ukraine, Russia fired?

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has dismissed Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskii and named Mykhailo Drapatyi to lead the military, describing the move as part of a “reset” of Ukraine’s defence against Russia’s invasion. The decision, reported on July 22, 2026, follows several days of protests in Kyiv after the removal of Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who had reportedly clashed with Syrskii and accused him of slowing reforms.

Syrskii, 60, was born in Soviet Russia and later built his military career in independent Ukraine. Al Jazeera notes that he commanded Ukrainian forces in Donetsk in 2014, later led the land forces, and became prominent during the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022. He was credited with helping defend Kyiv and planning the Kharkiv counteroffensive, which brought major territorial gains for Ukraine.

The report places Syrskii’s ouster in a broader pattern of wartime leadership changes. On the Ukrainian side, Zelenskyy previously removed Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov in 2023, dismissed Valerii Zaluzhnyi as commander-in-chief in 2024, and replaced Joint Forces Command head Yuriy Sodol with Andrii Hnatov the same year.

Al Jazeera also highlights major Russian shakeups since the invasion began in February 2022, including the dismissal of Black Sea Fleet commander Igor Osipov, the removal of Major-General Ivan Popov after criticism of battlefield conditions, and Sergey Surovikin’s departure from Russia’s Aerospace Forces after the Wagner mutiny. The changes underline how both sides have repeatedly altered senior command during a prolonged and costly war.