Syrsky handed Drapatyi “an army in a state of offensive”

Alexander Syrsky, who is stepping down as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has declared that he is handing his successor Mykhailo Drapatyi “an army in a state of offensive.”

The statement was made in Syrsky’s farewell address.

In his address, Syrsky said that this year, under his command, Ukrainian forces liberated 700 square kilometers of territory.

“An army that two years ago was fighting a grueling defensive battle is today on the offensive. I am handing my successor an army that not only holds the line but is in a state of offensive — with initiative, with structure, with people who know how to strike the enemy,” — Syrsky said.

He expressed hope that the offensive would continue, stating that “everything is in place” for that. Syrsky also hinted that he would receive a new post in the army: “My work is war. Positions change, but that principle does not.”

The statement about handing over “an army in a state of offensive” carries a certain catch with regard to the new commander-in-chief of the AFU, with whom, as is well known, Syrsky had a difficult relationship. If this “offensive” is not further developed, Syrsky — and possibly Zelensky — may accuse Drapatyi of “failing to lead the army.”

Meanwhile, there are quite a few contentious questions surrounding the “AFU offensive” itself. Some Ukrainian experts, among others, believe that there is currently no active offensive by Ukrainian forces to speak of. In their assessment, at most there is limited progress (up to 10–20 km) on certain axes within the tactical gray zone — that is, territory not under the stable control of either warring army.

In addition, there exists within the AFU its own “military opposition,” which holds that launching an offensive is currently ruinous for Ukrainian forces: it leads to the exhaustion of the army amid a shortage of personnel with minimal results. The positions of this “opposition,” according to the publication’s assessment, will strengthen following Syrsky’s resignation, which could lead to a revision of offensive plans. This, in turn, is something Syrsky and Zelensky’s inner circle may hold against Drapatyi.