Zelenskyy shakes up military leadership: All about Syrskyi, Ukraine's new army chief who studied in Moscow

Amid the ongoing war with Russia, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday fired his top army commander, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, and replaced him with Oleksandr Syrskyi, the commander of Ukraine’s land forces.

Zelenskyy shared a photo of himself with Zaluzhnyi, expressing gratitude for his two years of service in defending Ukraine. He mentioned discussions regarding the necessary revitalization of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the potential members of its renewed leadership.

"I thanked him for the two years of defending Ukraine. We discussed the renewal that the Armed Forces of Ukraine require. We also discussed who could be part of the renewed leadership of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The time for such a renewal is now. I proposed to General Zaluzhnyi to remain part of the team," he said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

Shortly afterwards, Zelenskyy announced he had appointed Syrskyi. Zaluzhnyi’s dismissal has stirred discussions in Ukraine over the past 10 days, following a meeting where Zelenskyy reportedly requested Zaluzhnyi's resignation, which he declined.

The defence minister, Rustem Umerov, thanked Zaluzhnyi for his service but said it was time for a new direction in the army. “New approaches and new strategies are needed. Today, a decision was made on the need to change the leadership of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” he said in a statement. 

The remarks come after several days of speculation suggesting that Zelenskyy was contemplating the dismissal of his esteemed army chief, regarded by many Ukrainians as a national hero for leading the war effort since February 2022.

Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskyi, who has been at the helm of Ukraine’s ground forces since 2019, was elevated to the position of commander of the armed forces as the conflict with Russia approaches its third year.

Here's all you need to know about Syrskyi, a key Ukrainian figure throughout Russia's full-scale invasion:

Born in July 1965 in Russia's Vladimir region, which was formerly part of the Soviet Union, Syrskyi has resided in Ukraine since the 1980s. Like numerous individuals of his generation in Ukraine's armed forces, he pursued studies in Moscow, attending the Higher Military Command School alongside peers who later rose to become Russian commanders. Graduating in 1986, he served for five years in the Soviet Artillery Corps. Certain military experts suggest that his battlefield strategies may reflect the hierarchical training he received in the Soviet era.

In 2019, Syrskyi assumed leadership of Ukraine's land forces. Prior to this role, he commanded Ukrainian troops engaged in combat against a Moscow-backed insurgency in the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions, a conflict that commenced in 2014. He earned the call sign "Snow Leopard" during his service in these challenging conditions.

Syrskyi played a pivotal role in overseeing some of Ukraine's most significant victories during Russia's full-scale invasion. He led the successful defense of the capital, Kyiv, in the early stages of the conflict, earning the prestigious title of Hero of Ukraine, the nation's highest honor, in April 2022. Additionally, in July of the same year, Syrskyi orchestrated a swift counteroffensive that pushed Russian forces back from the city of Kharkiv and reclaimed extensive territories to the east and southeast.

In early 2023, Syrskyi commanded Ukraine's defense of the eastern city of Bakhmut, witnessing one of the bloodiest battles of the ongoing war, resulting in thousands of casualties on both sides. While some military analysts debated the strategic value of fighting for a heavily damaged city, Syrskyi defended Ukraine's resolute stance, emphasizing that the relentless defense of Bakhmut had effectively hampered Russia's broader war campaign by engaging and restraining the Wagner mercenary group.

Syrskyi emphasizes the morale of his troops as his top priority, often visiting them at the front lines. He has shared with Western media that he maintains a rigorous schedule, sleeping only four-and-a-half hours a night, and finds relaxation through gym sessions. Married with two sons, Syrskyi balances his military duties with family life.

The decision puts an end to the intense speculation surrounding his future amid reported tensions between him and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Zelenskiy's leadership will face a crucial test as he endeavors to unite troops under a new army commander and alter the course of the conflict.

Ukrainian forces are facing challenges following a counteroffensive initiated last June, which failed to make significant progress in the southern and eastern regions. Meanwhile, Russian forces continue to inflict minor yet significant setbacks at various points along the 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front.

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• Ukraine