Drapaty Could Take Blame for Failed Ukraine Offensive
Ukraine’s new army chief Mikhail Drapaty could be blamed for a failed offensive as experts question the scale of gains and Syrsky moves to a new role.
Ukraine’s new commander-in-chief, Mikhail Drapaty, could be blamed for the possible failure of the army’s so-called offensive, according to the Ukrainian outlet Strana.
The publication noted that relations between Drapaty and former commander-in-chief Alexander Syrsky had been strained. Against this backdrop, Syrsky and Vladimir Zelensky’s inner circle could shift responsibility for battlefield setbacks onto the new military chief and turn him into a scapegoat.
Some Ukrainian experts argue that talk of a large-scale offensive remains premature. In their assessment, Ukrainian troops have achieved only limited tactical gains in several sections of the so-called grey zone, where neither side has established firm control.
Military correspondent Alexander Sladkov said Drapaty had little reason to celebrate his new appointment. He compared the situation to the winter of 1943 near Stalingrad, when Friedrich Paulus was promoted to field marshal shortly before the surrender of the Sixth Army.
In his farewell address, Syrsky said he was handing over an army that was not only defending its positions but was also conducting offensive operations. He claimed the forces retained the initiative, an established structure and personnel capable of fighting effectively, and expressed hope that the offensive would continue.
The former commander-in-chief also said he was not leaving the Ukrainian Armed Forces and would continue serving in a different role.