Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Mykhailo Drapatyi has outlined the principles that will guide his leadership of the Ukrainian military. They cover combat operations, commanders’ accountability, reducing bureaucracy and the future development of the armed forces.
Drapatyi identified the protection of personnel as a key priority. He said commanders are responsible not only for accomplishing their missions but also for the lives of those under their command. Soldiers must therefore receive proper training and opportunities for professional development and should not be exposed to unnecessary risks.
“The most valuable combat capability of the Armed Forces is our people,” the commander-in-chief said.
Drapatyi also called for problems within the military to be acknowledged openly, necessary decisions to be made promptly and responsibility to be taken for their consequences. He said the command system should eliminate unnecessary bureaucracy and give greater authority to service members operating directly in combat zones.
Headquarters should serve the needs of frontline units, while the experience of troops on the battlefield should shape planning and command decisions. At the same time, the Armed Forces must not only confront the enemy today but also lay the foundations for the military of the future by learning from combat experience faster than Russia and turning those lessons into a practical advantage.
Drapatyi said his goal is to do everything possible to ensure that Ukraine’s military emerges from the war stronger. He expects every commander to follow the same principle and leave behind a more capable unit than the one they initially took over.
