Oleksandr Syrskyi

Oleksandr Stanislavovych Syrskyi (; born 26 July 1965) is a Ukrainian military officer holding the rank of four-star general who served as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from 2024 to 2026. Previously, he was the commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces from 2019 to 2024, and the commander of the Joint Forces Operation from May to August 2019.

During the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Syrskyi commanded the defence of Kyiv. In September 2022, he commanded the Kharkiv counteroffensive. He then led the defense of Bakhmut into 2023. Following the eruption of public protests at the sacking of his Defence Minister boss Mykhailo Fedorov, Syrskyi was replaced by Mykhailo Drapatyi on 21 July 2026. As of 2023, his parents and brother live in Russia. Syrskyi graduated from high school in Kharkiv and entered the Moscow Higher Military Command School, the Soviet Union's most prestigious military academy.

In 1993, following the dissolution of the USSR, Syrskyi's military unit in Chuhuiv was placed under Ukrainian command, and at the age of 28 he was promoted to the position of battalion commander (equivalent to the rank of lieutenant-colonel) in the 6th Division of the National Guard of Ukraine; he later became a regiment commander in that division. In 1996, Syrskyi graduated from the National Defense University of Ukraine, and in 2005 he received a graduate degree from the same university.

In the early 2000s, Syrskyi was promoted to commander of the 72nd Mechanized Brigade, based in Bila Tserkva and promoted to the rank of major-general. He was appointed as a Chief of Staff – first deputy of the United Operative Commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in 2007. In 2009, Syrskyi was promoted to major general by decree of President Viktor Yushchenko. In 2011–2012, he was first deputy of the Main Directorate of military collaboration and peace-keeping operations. In 2013 he was stationed at NATO's headquarters in Brussels. In particular, he was one of the chief commanders of the anti-terrorist operation forces during the battle of Debaltseve. In the winter of 2015, he went to the city with the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Viktor Muzhenko. He led the battles in Vuhlehirsk, the village of Ridkodub and an unsuccessful attempt to recapture Lohvynove. He also coordinated the withdrawal of the Ukrainian military from Debaltseve. Under his leadership, possible routes of crossing the Karapulka River were blown up.

Oleksandr Syrskyi was awarded the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky III degree and later received the rank of lieutenant-general due to his achievement during the battle of Debaltseve.

He commanded the Joint Operational Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from 6 May until 5 August 2019, when Syrskyi was appointed as Commander of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. On 23 August 2020, he was promoted to the rank of colonel general.

Russian invasion of Ukraine

During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Syrskyi initially organised and led the defense of Kyiv.

In April 2022, Syrskyi was awarded the Hero of Ukraine. In September 2022, media reported that Syrskyi was the architect behind the successful Kharkiv counteroffensive. Syrskyi's pursuit of bloody Soviet-style military tactics which resulted in significant Ukrainian losses during the Battle of Bakhmut earned him criticism, and he was nicknamed "General 200" (a reference to Cargo 200, a Soviet military code denoting military fatalities). On 17 February 2024, as his first major operational decision as commander-in-chief, Syrskyi ordered the complete withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Avdiivka to "more favourable lines ... to avoid encirclement and preserve the lives and health of service personnel". He announced on 28 April 2024 that Ukrainian forces had retreated from the villages of Berdychi, Semenivka, and Novomykhailivka in Donetsk Oblast due to the positions becoming untenable.

In an interview with The Guardian published on 24 July 2024, Syrskyi predicted victory as he vowed to "do everything we can to reach the internationally recognised borders of 1991". Syrskyi was promoted to the rank of general on 23 August 2024.

In July 2026, Syrskyi reported that defense operations reduced Russia's territorial gains by more than half, and that 32,000 Russian soldiers had been killed or wounded in June 2026. That month, Syrskyi's rivalry with the defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov came to a head. As a result, Fedorov was dismissed. Fedorov's removal prompted protests across Ukraine calling for his reinstatement and for Syrskyi's removal. One protest leader accused the general of causing demoralization, sabotaging reforms, rewarding loyalty to himself and repressing soldiers; defenders of Syrskyi argued that hardships of the war were being unfairly taken out on the general and that Fedorov's plans for robotic warfare were unrealistic. Ukrainian military members interviewed by the BBC lauded Syrski's great experience and key victories against Russia, but noted his outdated Soviet doctrine. Syrskyi was replaced by Mykhailo Drapatyi on 21 July 2026.

Personal life Syrskyi is married, and has two sons, Anton and Oleksandr, with his wife.

Syrskyi's parents and younger brother reside in Russia. According to his brother Oleg, they have not spoken with each other for many years.

Military ranks

Major general (20 August 2009) Lieutenant general (5 December 2016) Colonel general (23 August 2020) Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky II degree (18 March 2022) Hero of Ukraine (5 April 2022) Cross of Military Merit (27 July 2022) Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky I degree (11 December 2022)