Zelenskyy Meets Top Commanders Amid Speculation Over Sirskyi’s Future

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has held a series of meetings with senior military commanders in recent days, fueling speculation that he is weighing a possible replacement for commander-in-chief General Oleksandr Syrskyi.

According to sources familiar with the discussions, the meetings covered the situation at the front, defense strategy, longer-term assessments of how the war may develop, and evaluations of the key threats facing Ukrainian forces. Each of the officers involved is now being floated as a potential candidate to succeed Syrskyi, though no formal decision has been announced.

Volodymyr Horbatyuk

The first commander to meet with Zelenskyy was Volodymyr Horbatyuk, former commander of the 54th Mechanized Brigade, who also led a Ukrainian contingent deployed to Kosovo in 2014. Horbatyuk currently serves as deputy chief of the General Staff, where he oversees the operational work of the headquarters, including planning and management functions.

Михайло Драпатий

Zelenskyy next met with Mykhailo Drapatyi, widely seen as the frontrunner for the post. Drapatyi is well regarded and respected among servicemen. Multiple sources say, however, that he is not universally viewed as the preferred choice within leadership circles, largely because of his outspokenness — a trait that reportedly kept him off the shortlist for some time. Some observers suggest Zelenskyy could still turn to Drapatyi as a way to satisfy public opinion without having to directly confront the issue of Defense Minister Fedorov.

Андрій Білецький

The president also met with Andriy Biletskyi, commander of the 3rd Army Corps. Biletskyi has demonstrated himself to be a capable battlefield commander, but he remains a divisive figure among servicemen from other branches, many of whom view him primarily through the lens of his political history and relatively short military service record rather than his combat performance.

Ihor Obolensky

Ihor Obolensky, who commands the 2nd Khartiia Corps, was next to meet with Zelenskyy. Obolensky is credited with strong performance as a corps commander. Still, the decision to build a corps around his unit has drawn criticism, with some questioning why veteran brigades were placed under the command of a formation only established in 2022.

Олег Апостол

Oleh Apostol, commander of Ukraine’s Air Assault Forces, was the only one of the six commanders who has publicly backed Syrskyi. Described as a strong and purposeful general, Apostol is still seen as needing more experience for the top job. His public support for Syrskyi suggests the two maintain a close working relationship.

Денис Прокопенко

The final meeting was with Denys Prokopenko, commander of the 1st Azov Corps of the National Guard. Prokopenko is known for strong interpersonal skills and a clear understanding of leadership. However, that he would need to surround himself with experienced professionals to successfully shift the narrative if appointed.

After all, for some of these commanders, accepting the top post would mean giving up direct influence over a corps or command they have already built into a success. And given the turnover of officials within Zelenskyy’s system, it is far from certain that this risk would be worth taking. No matter where one looks across the army, everything ultimately rests on the shoulders of capable commanders — those who rely on themselves, not on the system, to get the job done.