Mykhailo Drapatyi said on June 11 that he had concluded his six-month tenure as commander of Ukraine’s Ground Forces, summarizing his accomplishments and stating that he is leaving with “a clear conscience.”
Drapatyi submitted his resignation on June 1, following a
deadly Russian missile strike
that killed at least 12 Ukrainian soldiers at a training camp in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, saying the victims were young recruits who “should have learned, lived, and fought — not died.”
President Volodymyr Zelensky
appointed
him as commander of the Joint Forces on June 3, two days after the incident. The Ground Forces said the same day that an investigation was underway and pledged accountability if negligence or misconduct is found.
In his
statement
, Drapatyi described the state of the
Ground Forces
at the time of his appointment on Nov. 29, 2024 as mired in “managerial stagnation,” defined by fear, lack of initiative, and detachment from frontline units.
“Systemic abuse, personnel decisions based on connections, low internal organization,” he wrote. “The command is gradually shifting from a culture of fear to a culture of responsibility.”
Drapatyi said he had replaced over half of the Ground Forces’ leadership in key functions and had begun
reforms
aimed at decentralization, accountability, and professionalism.
Under his leadership, the military launched a revamp of recruitment centers, aiming to eliminate
corruption
and increase transparency in
mobilization
.
Drapatyi also oversaw a partial overhaul of the army’s training and staffing systems. New leadership was introduced in the
drone
, cyber, and electronic warfare units amid a wave of broader reforms.
“Decisions are made not on the basis of status or loyalty, but on the basis of analysis, results, and respect for subordinates,” Drapatyi said. “Grassroots initiatives ceased to be a threat and began to become a resource.”
Zelensky
said on June 3 that Drapatyi’s new role would focus “exclusively on combat issues.”
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