{"id":599341,"date":"2026-07-20T21:17:21","date_gmt":"2026-07-20T18:17:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/korabelov.info\/2026\/07\/599341\/i-m-not-cultivating-an-image-and-i-have-no-political-ambitions-i-m-focused-on-the-war-24-7-syrskyi-decided-to-respond-to-critics\/"},"modified":"2026-07-20T21:17:24","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T18:17:24","slug":"i-m-not-cultivating-an-image-and-i-have-no-political-ambitions-i-m-focused-on-the-war-24-7-syrskyi-decided-to-respond-to-critics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/korabelov.info\/en\/2026\/07\/599341\/i-m-not-cultivating-an-image-and-i-have-no-political-ambitions-i-m-focused-on-the-war-24-7-syrskyi-decided-to-respond-to-critics\/","title":{"rendered":"\"I'm not cultivating an image and I have no political ambitions. I'm focused on the war. 24\/7\" - Syrskyi decided to respond to critics"},"content":{"rendered":"

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi<\/strong> published an extended position regarding the public disputes around the General Staff, relations with former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov<\/strong>, the use of drones, personnel policy, mobilization, new contracts and funding of servicemen’s payments.<\/p>\n

The text of the statement was published by the outlet \u201cMilitarnyi<\/a>\u201d.<\/p>\n

Public discussion intensified after on July 16, 2026<\/strong> Mykhailo Fedorov<\/strong> accused the commander-in-chief of blocking initiatives, intrigues and attempting to split the country.<\/p>\n

At the beginning of the column Oleksandr Syrskyi<\/strong> stated that he does not seek media attention, does not build a political image and devotes almost all of his time to commanding the military. According to him, he decided to respond publicly because his silence began to be interpreted as agreement with numerous accusations.<\/p>\n

The Commander-in-Chief explained why he decided to break his usual silence.<\/p>\n

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\u201cTo be honest: I am not interested in media work. I do not build an image and I have no political ambitions. I am focused on the war. 24\/7. That is why I rarely give interviews and almost never write columns.<\/p>\n

But in recent days my silence began to be interpreted as consent. A whole mythology about conflicts and sabotage around the army and the General Staff has grown. So I will say everything myself this one time.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Commenting on information about a conflict with Mykhailo Fedorov<\/strong>, the commander-in-chief called their relations working. He admitted that difficult issues and disagreements arose between the Ministry of Defense and the military command, but considers this natural for two institutions during a major war.<\/p>\n

Oleksandr Syrskyi also publicly apologized to Mykhailo Fedorov if he offended him with his harshness, and called not to reduce the war to a personal confrontation between two officials.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIt was a surprise to me to learn that there was a conflict between me and the minister. I perceived our relations as working: with difficult issues, with different positions. That is how it should be between two institutions during a major war. If I offended anyone in any way: Mykhailo Albertovych, forgive me. I can be harsh. But I ask you and everyone who is now following this story with fascination: let’s focus not on the personal, but on the global. On victory.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The Commander-in-Chief emphasized that Ukraine is more important than any surnames, and its resilience does not depend on “irreplaceable people” but on the army, state institutions and millions of citizens who do their jobs. In his view, dividing society into “Fedorov’s camp” and “Syrskyi’s camp” simplifies the extremely complex problems of war into political slogans and plays into the hands of the Russian aggressor.<\/p>\n

According to Oleksandr Syrskyi, contracts, procurements, mobilization and army support cannot be decided through social media posts. Each such decision directly affects the lives of servicemen, and therefore must be based on calculations, documents, budget and responsibility.<\/p>\n

The Commander-in-Chief separately delineated the powers of the Ministry of Defense and the military command. According to him, the Ministry of Defense is responsible for supplying the forces, procurement, forming state policy and civilian oversight of the Armed Forces. The Minister of Defense is not required to personally be at the front or to develop the strategy of combat operations.<\/p>\n

The strategy of the war, operational planning and the situation at the front, as Oleksandr Syrskyi noted, belong to his responsibility before the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. Long-range strikes and operations aimed at isolating temporarily occupied Crimea are carried out by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the SBU, the GUR and the State Border Guard Service coordinated by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief and the commander-in-chief.<\/p>\n

Responding to accusations of lacking a strategy, Oleksandr Syrskyi said that military strategy cannot be an open document or a public presentation, because its disclosure would mean handing plans to the Russian enemy. Its results, according to the commander-in-chief, should be assessed on the front, where the Ukrainian million-strong army has already for the fourth year been resisting a numerically and materially superior adversary.<\/p>\n

The Commander-in-Chief also contrasted the concepts of “vision” and “strategy.” In his words, a vision describes a desired future, while a strategy must give a concrete answer to where to get reserves, ammunition, people and time needed to achieve the set goal.<\/p>\n

Oleksandr Syrskyi<\/strong> dismissed accusations of “micromanaging” the troops. He noted that he has served in the army for over 40 years, does not issue ultimatums to leadership and does not manage a million-strong army via messengers.<\/p>\n

The Commander-in-Chief explained how, in his view, the military command system should function.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI am an army man: I do not issue ultimatums to my superior and I do not command the troops via messengers. A million-strong army is not run on WhatsApp. It is run through headquarters, orders and the responsibility of commanders on the ground.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

As an example of rejecting excessive centralization, he cited delegating authority to corps commanders, including regarding the transfer of servicemen within corps.<\/p>\n

A separate section of Oleksandr Syrskyi\u2019s statement was devoted to unmanned systems. He called the accusation that he does not want to develop drone use strange. The commander-in-chief recalled that under his leadership the Forces of Unmanned Systems were created as a separate branch of the armed forces.<\/p>\n

According to Oleksandr Syrskyi<\/strong>, he personally nominated Robert “Madyar” Brovdi<\/strong> to the President of Ukraine for the post of commander of the Forces of Unmanned Systems. This decision, the commander-in-chief claims, was unpopular in the traditional military system, but he took full responsibility for it, considering the candidate’s combat experience, results and vision.<\/p>\n

At the same time Oleksandr Syrskyi warned against attempts to convert the entire million-strong army exclusively to drones. He acknowledged that drones provide a significant share of strikes, but for operators to work effectively they need artillery, mortars, engineering tools, air defense, electronic warfare and dozens of other types of weapons and equipment.<\/p>\n

The General Staff, he said, provides the Ministry of Defense with a full list of the army’s needs, so it is necessary to procure not only popular or media-attractive systems. The commander-in-chief stressed that Ukraine faces a large enemy that actively uses artillery, aviation, infantry and other traditional components of warfare.<\/p>\n

Oleksandr Syrskyi called the transition of the entire army “to drones” within a few months a dangerous adventure that could cost Ukrainian territory and servicemen’s lives.<\/p>\n

Touching on personnel policy, the commander-in-chief denied that he appoints only loyal people. Among the commanders he promoted or supported, Oleksandr Syrskyi<\/strong> named Robert “Madyar” Brovdi<\/strong>, Oleksandr “Apostol” Trepak<\/strong>, Andrii Hnatov<\/strong>, Andriy Biletsky<\/strong>, Denys “Redis” Prokopenko<\/strong>, Oleh “Veres” Shyriaiev<\/strong>, Yurii “Achilles” Fedorenko<\/strong> and Yevhen Karas<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

According to the commander-in-chief, many of them rose from junior officer positions to leadership, and some such appointments did not have support within the system. Oleksandr Syrskyi named effectiveness as the decisive criterion.<\/p>\n

He also agreed that procedures for transferring servicemen remain too lengthy and complicated. At the same time the commander-in-chief noted that they are established by regulatory acts, some of which were developed long before his appointment, and that the Ministry of Defense must change them. He promised to support simplification that would not undermine the army’s controllability.<\/p>\n

Separately Oleksandr Syrskyi criticized the results of the new contracts program. According to his data, more than a month after the presentation about 2,000 servicemen<\/strong> had signed them in a million-strong army.<\/p>\n

The commander-in-chief said he received a large number of appeals from demotivated soldiers and officers who expected one set of conditions but effectively received others. In his view, the government resolution on the corresponding “experiment” also raises legal questions.<\/p>\n

For comparison he cited the increase in monetary allowances in the Ministry of Internal Affairs system, which occurred through changes to the state budget and a decision of the Verkhovna Rada. Oleksandr Syrskyi emphasized that behind every presentation there must be a document, funding and a clear procedure, otherwise the army receives disappointment instead of real change.<\/p>\n

Speaking about mobilization reform, the Commander-in-Chief noted that the Ground Forces and territorial recruitment centers are in his vertical. According to him, the military command participates in Verkhovna Rada sessions, transmits information about violations to the State Bureau of Investigations (DBR) and insists on police participation in the relevant processes.<\/p>\n

At the same time, the legislative and administrative part of the mobilization reform, in Oleksandr Syrskyi’s position, should be developed by the Ministry of Defense. He said he is waiting for it just like the public is.<\/p>\n

Most sharply the commander-in-chief spoke about funding the monetary provision for servicemen. According to him, Mykhailo Fedorov<\/strong> publicly admitted that part of the funds earmarked for military salaries were directed to the purchase of drones. Because of this, as Oleksandr Syrskyi claims, a question arose about funding payments for the second half of the year.<\/p>\n

The Commander-in-Chief stressed that servicemen’s money cannot be used as a reserve to cover other needs.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI’ll say it straight: a soldier’s salary is not a reserve for reallocation, but a state’s obligation to people who risk their lives every day. Together with the government we are now looking for a solution so that every serviceman receives his payment on time and in full. There is simply no other option. But a lesson for the future must be drawn: decisions about billions cannot be made without calculating the consequences for a million people.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Oleksandr Syrskyi noted that his appeal is primarily addressed to servicemen who bear the main burden of the war daily. According to him, fighters need not officials’ victories in disputes, but ammunition, rotations, timely payments and confidence that state bodies work in a coordinated manner.<\/p>\n

At the end the Commander-in-Chief said that he is not fighting the Ministry of Defense, but fighting against Russia. He assured that the General Staff will cooperate with any minister appointed by the state, since the military do not choose leaders but follow orders and are responsible for the result.<\/p>\n

Oleksandr Syrskyi<\/strong> summed up his position on priorities during the war.<\/p>\n

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\u201cMy work is the war. Strategy, the front, the people. This is what I do and will continue to do. Preferably without interviews and columns. Ukraine is bigger than anyone’s names. And Ukraine will endure if everyone does their job in their place.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Earlier we wrote:<\/strong><\/p>\n