Ukraine war: Mykhailo Drapatyi becomes Kyiv's new top commander

Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, announced on Tuesday that medium and long-range strikes against Russia will continue under the country's new top military commander, Mykhailo Drapatyi. Drapatyi has replaced Oleksandr Syrskyi after a significant political disagreement and public protests. Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine's military operations are progressing and must continue consistently. He also assured that Ukraine's strategy for long-range and middle-range strikes would be executed with great accuracy.

The announcement of Drapatyi's appointment was made by President Zelenskyy in a late-night television address. This news followed the president's decision last week to dismiss the defence minister, Mykhailo Fedorov. This sacking led to protests, with demonstrators demanding Fedorov's return by Friday. Fedorov described Drapatyi's appointment as a positive change, bringing 'new hope' to the fight for freedom and justice.

Zelenskyy acknowledged the contributions of Oleksandr Syrskyi, crediting him with defending Kyiv and initiating a counter-offensive in Russia's Kursk region. The new commander, Drapatyi, is respected within the Ukrainian army and by the public. He is seen as an ally of Fedorov, known for modernizing the military with technology. Drapatyi, a major general, currently leads Ukraine's joint forces group and has been fighting Russian forces since 2014 in the Donbas region. He is remembered for an incident where he drove an infantry vehicle over a barricade during fighting in Mariupol.

The Russian government expressed concern over Ukrainian attacks targeting Wildberries warehouses. Kyiv claims this company supplies parts for drones and other technology used by Russia in its war efforts. Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesperson, described the situation as difficult due to losses experienced by the company and small and medium-sized businesses.

In Russia, authorities are reportedly redirecting fuel from Siberia to Moscow. This is happening because Ukrainian drone attacks on oil facilities have caused fuel shortages in various parts of Russia. Traders have indicated that gasoline from the Urals and Siberia, along with supplies from Belarus, are being sent to the Moscow region to compensate for the lost production. The Achinsk refinery in Siberia is mentioned as a facility that has been supplying fuel to Moscow.

The United Nations human rights office reported that civilian casualties in Ukraine rose by over a third in the first half of this year. Between January and June 2026, there were 1,396 deaths and 7,978 injuries, a 37% increase compared to the same period last year. Long-range missiles and drones, as well as glide bombs, have contributed to this escalation.

In a separate incident on Tuesday, a Russian guided-bomb attack on Zaporizhzhia, a city in southern Ukraine, resulted in the deaths of at least three people and injured over a dozen. The regional military administration reported that flames engulfed seven floors of a nine-storey apartment building following the attack. Among those killed were individuals in their 60s and a 49-year-old.