00:00Days of protests in Ukraine resulted in the appointment of new commander-in-chief Major
00:06General Mikhailo Drapati on Tuesday. That's as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sought to reset his
00:12military strategy in the war with Russia. So what does the biggest shake-up of leadership
00:17since Russia's 2022 invasion mean? Drapati is capable of changing the course of the war,
00:24and I believe this was a very good decision by the president. I expect positive changes.
00:32At 43, Drapati has been described by his colleagues as a general from a new generation. His career
00:39was shaped by combat against Russian troops. During his 26 years in the army, he rose through
00:46the ranks to become one of Ukraine's most effective combat commanders. And last week, the new leader,
00:52who is responsible for Ukraine's defense in the northeastern direction, said the army needed
00:57changes and new rules. Drapati announced in a Facebook post that the president has ordered
01:03increased counter-offensive actions. He also said objectives now include new operations behind
01:09enemy lines and orders to develop Ukraine's military and its technologies. The nation has stepped up its
01:15attacks on Russian energy infrastructure and logistics this year in a bid to undermine Moscow's
01:20war effort. He's not new to reforming the country's army. After Russia's full-scale invasion in February
01:272022, Drapati became the go-to commander for areas in need of a swift turnaround. And on becoming the
01:34youngest ever commander of the Ukrainian land forces, Drapati spearheaded a revamp of the recruitment and
01:41training systems. He said that he wanted to support initiative and flexibility among frontline troops,
01:47seeing it as a strength. But his popularity is not universal.
01:53It seems to me that Zelensky did not hear the protesters. And I think it was a major mistake to
01:58dismiss
01:58Siersky. For better or worse, many believe he will have a big impact in Ukraine.
