The Ukrainian government has announced a reshuffle of its military command structure, with a focus on the eastern region of Donetsk. According to a report by the Tass news agency, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has appointed the commander of the ground forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Major General Mikhail Drapey, as the head of the operational-strategic grouping in Chortiza. This is the third change in leadership on this position in the past year.
In a video address on Sunday evening, Zelensky explained that he has entrusted the new commander of the Ukrainian ground forces, Major General Mikhail Drapey, with the leadership of the operational-strategic grouping in Chortiza, which is responsible for a significant part of the eastern front of Ukraine. The previous commander, Andrei Gnatov, will be transferred to the General Staff.
Recent reports from Pokrovsk (Krasnoarmeysk) have spoken of Ukrainian soldiers deserting, as a result of the frequent setbacks and the loss of trust in the military leadership. The city is reportedly surrounded by Russian forces from three sides and the official capture of Velikaya Novoselovka, announced yesterday, could put additional pressure on Ukrainian defensive lines from the south.
“This is the most fiercely contested territory”Zelensky said, adding that he had discussed the changes with the Ukrainian chief of staff, Alexander Syrsky. The appointment of Drapey is expected to contribute to the connection of the army’s combat operations with the training of brigades, Zelensky said.
Russian forces carried out 70 attacks on Ukrainian defensive lines in the Pokrovsk area on Sunday, using artillery support. According to Ukrainian reports, the attacks were repelled. The capture of Pokrovsk would bring the region of Donetsk under Russian control.
According to Russian law, the parts of the Donetsk People’s Republic not under Russian control are considered part of the Russian state. The complete liberation of the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics, as well as two other areas, is considered one of the main goals of the Russian military operation.
Major General Mikhail Drapey, 42, is one of the most experienced commanders of the Ukrainian ground forces. He took part in the most important battles of the Donbas War in 2014 and commanded Ukrainian troops in the direction of Kherson in 2022. In November of the same year, Russian forces withdrew from the right bank of the region. Before his appointment as commander of the ground forces in November 2024, Drapey was responsible for the defense in the direction of Kharkov.