A candidate for the position of commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has been named in the event of Syrskyi’s resignation

If Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) Oleksandr Syrskyi resigns, Chief of the General Staff Andriy Hnatov could replace him in the top military post.

This opinion was expressed by the Telegram channel Voennaya Khronika (“Military Chronicle”).

The channel’s authors recall that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described Hnatov as a “battle-hardened guy” when appointing him as Chief of the General Staff, instructing him to translate frontline combat experience into strategic-level planning. However, only a few weeks before his promotion — at the end of January 2025 — Hnatov had been dismissed from his position as commander of the “Khortytsia” operational group following Ukrainian losses near Velyka Novosilka and on the Vremivka salient.

Another potential candidate for the position of Commander-in-Chief is former Chief of the General Staff Anatoliy Bargilevych. In March 2025, he was “demoted” to the post of Chief Inspector of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense — a move officially explained as part of a “systemic transformation of the armed forces.” Analysts note that Bargilevych’s experience in organizational command could make him a contender again, though his chances are significantly lower than Hnatov’s.

Earlier, military expert and retired Navy Captain Vasyl Dandykin said reports of Syrskyi’s alleged refusal to follow Zelensky’s orders were part of a political game.