He stormed into Mariupol in an armored vehicle and liberated Kherson: who is the new commander of the Ground Forces, Drapaty?
On Friday, November 29, President of Ukraine and Supreme Commander-in-Chief Volodymyr Zelensky, during a meeting of the Staff alongside Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, made several personnel decisions concerning the military. This was reported by the head of state via Telegram.
The new commander of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is Major General Mykhailo Drapaty, who successfully organized the defense in the Kharkiv direction and thwarted the offensive operation of Russian forces, Zelensky noted.
"The main task is to significantly enhance the combat capability of our army, ensure the quality of training for servicemen, and implement innovative approaches to personnel management within the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The Ukrainian army needs internal changes to fully achieve the objectives of our state," wrote Volodymyr Zelensky.
Additionally, the experienced commander of the 95th Separate Air Assault Brigade, Colonel Oleg Apostol, has been appointed as the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
Both officers, as noted by Zelensky, have proven their effectiveness in combat.
Mykhailo Drapaty: What is known about the general
Drapaty Mykhailo Vasylovych was born on November 21, 1982, in Kamianets-Podilskyi, Khmelnytskyi Oblast. In 2004, he completed his studies at the Kharkiv Institute of Tank Troops, beginning his service in the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade. In 2014, when the Russian armed aggression against Ukraine began, Major Drapaty was the commander of the 2nd Mechanized Battalion of the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade.
On May 9, armed terrorists attempted to seize control of the police in Mariupol. The 2nd Battalion of the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade was given a combat order to enter the city on armored vehicles to reinforce the units repelling the terrorists' assault and to free hostages. The operation was commanded by Mykhailo Drapaty. The situation was complicated by provocateurs inciting pro-Russian local residents to resist, and barricades were set up on the city streets. One such barricade blocked the way when a column of four vehicles was already returning after completing the mission. The first vehicle carried Commander Drapaty. Footage of the BMP "jumping" over the barricade was broadcast by television channels worldwide.
Major Drapaty took responsibility for extracting the units from the so-called "Izvaryne Cauldron" to join the main forces. During this operation, 260 fighters from the 2nd Battalion of the 72nd Brigade, along with more than 30 units of equipment, exited encirclement, and during the three-day breakout, the commander lost one fighter.
Russian Full-Scale Invasion
Until January 2024, he headed the operational grouping "Kherson," among other commanders overseeing the liberation of the right bank of the Kherson region.
In February 2024, he was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff for military training.
In May 2024, after the start of a new offensive by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in the Kharkiv region and the creation of a threat to Vovchansk, he led the operational-tactical grouping of troops "Kharkiv." In September, he headed the operational-tactical grouping of troops "Luhansk," whose area of responsibility extends from Bilohorivka in Luhansk Oblast to New York in Donetsk Oblast.
Drapaty's Awards:
He holds the Cross of Combat Merit, the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytskyi of three degrees, and has been awarded the Order of "People's Hero of Ukraine."
Let us recall that the previous commander of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Aleksandr Pavliuk, was appointed by the president on February 11 2024.