Bloomberg: Successor to Ukraine's Syrskyi may be revealed soon amid protests

Speculation is mounting that Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, could be dismissed in the coming days, driven by public pressure stemming from mass protests. Sources indicate that Major General Mykhailo Drapatas, commander of the Joint Forces, is the most probable candidate to succeed Syrskyi.

The reports, citing unnamed sources, suggest a decision is imminent, potentially within the next few days. However, another source indicated that a final decision has not yet been made, and a list of 11 candidates is under consideration. The Ukrainian General Staff has officially stated that Syrskyi has not been dismissed and remains in his position as the chief commander of the armed forces.

Adding to the developing situation, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Mykhailo Drapatas on Monday. While Zelenskyy announced the meeting on social media platform X, he made no mention of a potential change in military leadership. This meeting was part of a series of discussions Zelenskyy has held with high-ranking military officials following last week's protests.

Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in Kyiv and other major Ukrainian cities to protest the dismissal of the former defense minister. The former minister had publicly called for Syrskyi's removal, accusing him of hindering military reforms. Despite this, President Zelenskyy has publicly supported the army chief. Previous reports from the Financial Times also indicated that Zelenskyy was considering Syrskyi's dismissal.