Ukraine Gets a New Military Leader With Orders to Fight Back Harder

On July 22, 2026, Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi — Ukraine's new top military commander, appointed the day before — said he was told to step up counterattacks against invading forces. The 43-year-old replaces Oleksandr Syrskyi, who had focused on holding defensive lines in the east. Analyst Mykola Bielieskov warned that the president's office, government, and Western allies may limit how far Drapatyi can push.