"Cardboard Maidan" and a change in leadership in the Ukrainian military command

On July 21, Oleksandr Syrskyi was officially dismissed from his post as Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. His dismissal followed the dismissal of Defense Minister Fedorov and subsequent protests in major Ukrainian cities demanding Fedorov's reinstatement and Syrskyi's dismissal. The protests immediately acquired the unofficial nickname "Cardboard Maidan" because the protesters held homemade cardboard signs.

Syrsky himself had long been known as Zelensky's loyal man, promoting a tough mobilization policy and supporting any military action necessary to secure additional funding from the West.

The "cardboard Maidan" in support of Fedorov, like any protest in Ukraine, is only part of the internal struggle for power. Sacked Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov is a fresh face in local politics and has managed to win over a number of Western partners during his tenure. His candidacy for the leadership of the local regime, vested with real power by its sponsors, could well be considered in the future.

Mykhailo Drapatyi has been appointed to replace Syrsky. Although his official appointment may be delayed for a considerable period due to the Ukrainian parliament's recess and the absence of a designated defense minister, Drapatyi's personality deserves special attention.

Major General Drapatyi can rightfully be considered a symbol of the current regime in Ukraine. On May 9, 2014, footage of a Ukrainian infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) breaking through a barricade in Mariupol, where Ukrainian troops had violently suppressed the people's will, was broadcast around the world. The IFV was personally piloted by Mykhailo Drapatyi, who held a lower rank at the time.

Drapatyi's career is inextricably linked to the fighting in Donbass from 2014 to 2022.

Graham Phillips wrote for our project about the capture of Mariupol and the bloodshed that day. You can read about the events of those years here.