Oleksandr Stanislavovych Syrskyi
On the evening of 08 February 2024, the official website of the Office of the President published a decree on the dismissal of Valery Zaluzhny from the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. At the same time, decrees were published on the dismissal of Oleksandr Syrsky from the post of commander of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and his appointment as the new commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Syrskyi is lionised by those around him, who admire his commitment, determination and cunning. Relaxation is a daily session in the gym. He sleeps for just four-and-a-half hours a night.
Oleksandr Stanislavovych Syrskyi had a long history of service in the Ukrainian military. He went through all the steps of this career step by step without skipping a single one. Former teachers and current acquaintances of Syrskyi say that he is neither a star nor charismatic, but a disciplined and systematic commander who loves control and discipline. Syrskyi devoted his life to selfless service to the Ukrainian people, protection of sovereignty and independence as part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The commander of the Ground Forces takes care of the security and strengthening of the defense capability of the Ukrainian state, ready to retaliate against any encroachment on the territorial integrity of the country, the peaceful life and work of Ukrainians.
Oleksandr Syrskyi gave his first interview as Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with German ZDF on 23 February 2024: "We have transitioned from offensive actions to conducting a defensive operation. The goal of our operation is to exhaust the enemy, inflict maximum losses on them, using our fortifications, our technical advantages, unmanned aerial vehicles, electronic warfare systems, and maintaining prepared defense lines," Syrskyi says.
At the same time, according to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, technological progress, particularly the use of drones, forces the war to enter a new stage. "This war emphasizes the importance of technological progress in the armed forces and the progress of armed combat itself. We already see, and for us, it's not news, the use of ground-based robotic platforms. Modules that are remotely controlled, which make it possible to save the lives of military personnel. Thus, the war is entering a new stage," he adds.
Ukraine does not change its goal of reaching its borders. According to the Chief of the Armed Forces, Ukrainians have no other choice. "Everything is based on the fact that we must end the war by reaching our borders. Other options are not considered because we simply have no other way out. This is, firstly," Syrskyi says.
However, according to him, society needs to unite around the common cause of victory, and it is also necessary to increase domestic arms production due to problems with external assistance. "Everyone needs to make an effort. If there is no external assistance, we need to establish production here in Ukraine. This process has been launched, but production needs to be increased. We need to rely on our own strength. It is also necessary to improve tactics. The main value is the life of our soldier," the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine explains.
According to Syrskyi, the Ukrainian army cannot afford to treat its soldiers like Russian commanders, who send troops into meat grinder tactics. "We cannot afford to treat our soldiers like Russian commanders, who use tactics of human waves attacks. I'd rather leave a position, but I won't allow the loss of personnel. For them, the lives of soldiers have no value. And we see this, their losses exceed ours by 7-8 times according to the latest data," he notes. "When the aggression started, I felt like I was going into some abyss with no clear time frames. At that moment, it was unclear when it would end, but I understood that it would be long and difficult," Syrskyi recounts.
Syrsky nips any talk that the war may not end with a victory for Ukraine. “He looks at war mathematically. For him, this is a problem that needs to be solved, and he is determined to do it. The conditions of this task: there is an enemy, he must be destroyed,” says former Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Anna Malyar, who worked closely with Syrsky in her line of duty. “He plans military operations so carefully that each of them has a day and hour when they should begin and when they should end. Just as an orchestra has every instrument and its part, so it has every division and its task,” she continues.
"Punctuality", "toughness", "self-discipline", "readiness for action" are the words most often used to describe Syrsky by his acquaintances who knew him even before the full-scale invasion.
Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev did not hide the fact that he feels disgusted by Syrsky’s biography . After all, he “was a Soviet Russian officer, but became a Bandera traitor who broke his oath and serves the Nazis, destroying his loved ones,” Medvedev wrote in his Telegram channel. “Let the earth burn under his feet!”
In late 2023 a public conflict arose between Zelensky and Zaluzhny, spilling into the public space over the actions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine after the failed counter-offensive of the Ukrainian army and its prospects in an armed conflict with Russia. In Kyiv, they started talking about the imminent resignation of the commander-in-chief, who was inconvenient for Zelensky. Even then, along with the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine Budanov, the more accommodating land general Syrsky was named as a likely replacement for Zaluzhny.
Unlike Zaluzhny, this general is not popular among the troops. Moreover, as the online publication “Military Review” wrote, citing Ukrainian sources, “for Syrsky there is no value at all for the life of a serviceman on the battlefield.”
Peter Dickinson, editor of the Atlantic Council’s UkraineAlert service, noted "Syrsky has also faced significant criticism for his role in the Battle of Bakhmut, which resulted in heavy casualties on both sides. Opponents claim he is not popular within the ranks of the Ukrainian army, with some warning that his appointment could lead to a decline in morale among front line troops."
It is worth noting again : Syrsky is not very popular in the troops. One of the reasons is the outcome of the "Debaltsevskaya" operation in January-February 2015 under his command, as well as failures to protect Soledar and Bakhmut in 2023. While Syrsky has been hailed as the "hero of Kiev" by Zelensky and Western media, his reputation among the troops is reportedly the far less flattering "Bakhmut Butcher," [Bahmutskij Miasnik], “general cauldron”, [General Kotel, referencing the Debaltsevskaya operation], and "General 200," a reference to "Cargo 200," a Soviet, Russian, and Ukrainian code term referring to the transportion of fallen soldiers.
"People who talk about losses and call commanders "butchers" do not understand what war is," says one of Suspilny's military interlocutors. " My fighters often say that they will die for Ukraine. I answer them that we should fight for Ukraine, not die." Battles for Kharkiv Oblast are one of the victorious battles planned by Sirsky. "It was a local operation, but it turned out that the Russians scattered and the commander decided not to stop," says Ilya Yevlash, who worked in Syrskyi's communications team. "Then there were forces, reserves, there was an opportunity to continue. Of course, it would be possible to move even further, but it was necessary to keep the liberated territories. " He was said to be influenced by Soviet thought, and became described as a man of the Soviet school who was imbued with its method and approach. This brought him many troubles, and placed him in the corner of criticism whenever he assumed additional military responsibility.
“A very bad decision,” is how a captain of the Armed Forces of Ukraine commented on the appointment of Syrsky as commander-in-chief to the American newspaper Politico on condition of anonymity. There, the general is really considered a commander who does not spare his subordinates and sends them to certain death. Another American publication, the Washington Post, generally called the reshuffle in the leadership of the Armed Forces of Ukraine “a risky shake-up that is likely to be unpopular among troops exhausted by almost two years of conflict.”
“Syrsky has always been Zelensky’s man, a blind executor of his orders, for example, to defend Severodonetsk to the last soldier, to defend Artemovsk (Bakhmut) to the last soldier, and now to defend Avdiivka,” emphasizes Polish general Waldemar Skrzypczak. “It cost the Ukrainian army several tens of thousands soldier". But surely the policy guidance of a President to a commanding General is the unavoidable nexus through which the political objectives - war aims - are transmuted into mililtary strategy and operational orders.
Carl von Clausewitz is more often quoted than read, more venerated than understood. Clausewitz described war as "an act of force to compel our enemy to do our will," and "a continuation of political activity by other means." He then logically constructs the anti-thesis of "absolute" war that is a pure act of physical force abstracted from other variables (such as international law or scarce resources) that might limit it but are theoretically external to the concept o fwar itself. In this abstract sense, the aim of warfare is purel ymilitary - to disarmthe enemy, rendering him powerless to resist the victor's will. The "pure," unencumbered interaction of military forces, Clausewitz deduces, leads inevitably through escalation to extremes of will and effort.
Those who fear being killed in war will not achieve victories. Because the life of a Soldier is fraught with danger, courage is a requirement for every military leader. Soldiers, who do their duty regardless of fear and risk to life or limb, perform bravery on the battlefield. To inspire troops, leaders must instill a pervasive attitude to motivate their troops to advance under withering fire or hold a seemingly untenable position. Leaders inspire their Soldiers to perform deeds of heroism and sacrifice, which often requires suppression of natural feelings such as fear.
Gen. George S. Patton knew a thing or two about projecting confidence. He could change at will and put on his "war face," followed by a speech, filled with "blood and guts," to motivate his men [some ofo whom who retorted "our blood and his guts"]. Gen. of the Army Douglas MacArthur was a historical leader who embodied the definition of strong character. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for defending the Philippines during World War II. He was evacuated by torpedo boat in March, on Marshall’s orders, leading to the sobriquet “Dugout Doug,” and a new stanza for the Battle Hymn of the Republic.
Dugout Doug’s not timid, he’s just cautious, not afraid
He’s protecting carefully the stars that Franklin has made
Four-star generals are as rare as good food on Bataan;
And his troops go starving on!
During the Great War he was promoted to Brigadier General and commander of the 84th Infantry Brigade. He was said to have had a "flamboyant romantic style matched only by real feats of courage on the battlefield." MacArthur was wounded twice and became the most decorated American soldier of the war.
Marshal Georgi Konstantinovich Zhukov saw casualties the natural by-product of war. As Stalin's, the first and one only ever, Deputy Commander-in-Chief, he was sent to Stalingrad during August 1942. Soviet casualties were enormous, perhaps one million. Under Zhukov's leadership Soviet soldiers fought, and ome say he was callous and brutal. In the final assault on Berlin, Zhukov would accept any number of casualties. A phrase coined in the Red Army during the war was "Where you find Zhukov, you find victory".
A number of Kremlin media spread the news that the Pentagon allegedly expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and in particular Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, “do not follow the orders of the West” and are fighting “arbitrarily.” Syrskyi departed from the Pentagon’s advice and called for a stronger defense in the northeastern region, where Russian troops have become more active.
Mykola Azarov, who was briefly Prime Minister of Ukraine in 2004-2005, recalled: Syrsky tried to hold Bakhmut-Artemovsk with the help of units formed precisely from recently mobilized soldiers. “Among the military, Syrsky’s arrival in any front-line city is considered a harbinger of bad events,” Azarov shared information.
"Under the Pentagon’s reasoning, Kyiv should have massed an outsize number of forces on one portion of the front line to attempt a breakthrough. Ukrainian commanders have instead tried to divide troops and firepower in a manner that they consider to be as fair and as equal as possible between the east and south." writes the The New York Times on 26 August 2023. By early 2023 the Russians were fighting not just with numbers, but with a large number of small groups that are constantly advancing.
Tatarigami_UA, a Ukrainian officer in reserves and founder of the Frontelligence Insight, stated 04 November 2023 "until General Syrski, widely disrespected within the army, is replaced, substantial improvements are unlikely. General Syrski's leadership is bankrupt, his presence or orders coming from his name are demoralizing, and he undermines trust in the command in general. His relentless pursuit of tactical gains constantly depletes our valuable human resources, resulting in tactical advances such as capturing tree lines or small villages, with no operational goals in mind. This approach creates a never-ending cycle of fruitless assaults that drain personnel. His failure to withdraw troops from Bakhmut in a timely manner earlier this year, coupled with his obsession to retake it, by utilizing Wagner Group's tactics, further depletes our resources and has more far-reaching consequences than people might realize."
Syrsky established himself as an obedient general in everything long before the Russian special military operation. In the summer of 2014, as the commander of the 72nd separate mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, he drove it into the so-called “Izvarinsky” or “Southern” cauldron, where several hundred Ukrainian soldiers were surrounded. Later, already during the Northern Military District, Syrsky without hesitation carried out Zelensky’s order - he did not allow his units to retreat from Bakhmut-Artemovsk, which was doomed to fall, and doomed hundreds of subordinates to death.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reportedly pulled back on a threat to dismiss commander-in-chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi, according to media reports 31 January 2024, as relations remain strained. Zelenskyy reportedly threatened to dismiss Zaluzhnyi by presidential decree but was forced to back down after potential successors signaled that they would refuse to assume the post. After Zaluzhny told his subordinates he was leaving, senior commanders and international partners, including the United States and Britain, expressed concern. According to reports, the commander of the Ground Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskyi and the head of Ukrainian intelligence, Kyryll Budanov, both refused to replace Zaluzhny.
It seems that this is precisely the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine - unquestioningly carrying out inhuman orders from Kyiv - that Zelensky needs today. The now disgraced Zaluzhny, with his own views on the conduct of war, with his popularity in the army and Ukrainian society, became a clear threat to Zelenskyy.
Zelensky has already set tasks for the new commander-in-chief, without doubting that he will unquestioningly fulfill them. In particular, he will carry out the next massive mobilization of 500 thousand people in Ukraine and draw up an action plan for the Armed Forces of Ukraine for 2024.
In his first message to the troops after his new appointment, Syrsky, stated: "New tasks are on the agenda.:
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He was head of the Ground Forces of Ukraine, responsible for appointing key positions in brigades and much more. He also led the Khortytsia operational-strategic group. Judging by the number of awards he has received, Syrskyi is a protégé of the head of the President's Office, Andriy Yermak. Since the beginning of the war, General Syrsky had received twice as many awards from the president as even the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Valery Zaluzhny.
Oleksandr Syrskyi [RU = Alexander Syrsky] was born on July 26, 1965 in the village of Novinki, Vladimir Region, into a military family. Since 1980 he has lived in Ukraine. His father is a retired colonel. His father was a military man, and the boy dreamed of following in his footsteps since childhood. In the 70s, Syrsky’s father was transferred to serve in Ukraine, and the whole family moved with him. Alexander graduated from school in Kharkov, which he considers his hometown. The brother of Alexander Syrsky, Oleg, who lives in Vladimir, does not maintain contact with his relative who is in Ukraine. There is a mother and brother Oleg, with whom the general has not maintained relations for a long time. And they support their Motherland - Russia and its president. By the way, Syrsky’s grandfather volunteered for the Leningrad Front and went missing in June 1941. So the parents of Syrsky from Vladimir were not faced with the question of whose portrait to carry on May 9 in the column of the “Immortal Regiment”. Syrsky is a graduate of the famous Moscow Higher Military Command College [MVOKU]. Syrsky studied at MVOKU from 1982 to 1986, and graduated with honors in 1986. In 1996, he graduated with honors from the Academy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (operational-tactical level), in 2005 from the National Defense Academy of Ukraine (operational-strategic level) with a gold medal.
Alexander Syrsky’s military service was already completely connected with Ukraine. In 1986 he was appointed the commander of ahe motorized rifle platoon of the 426th motorized rifle regiment of the 25th motorized rifle division of the 1st combined army. From 1993 to 1995, he was the commander of the motorized rifle battalion of the 17th regiment of the 6th division of the National Guard of Ukraine, and later - of the 19th regiment of this division. Some writings indicated that he worked from the beginning of his military career in an artillery unit equipped with 152 mm self-propelled howitzers, as well as in units designated for launching nuclear missiles. Sersky participated in the Soviet wars against Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and the Czech Republic until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.
In 2000–2002, Oleksandr Stanislavovych held the post of Chief of Staff — First Deputy Commander of the 72nd Mechanized Division of the 8th Army Corps, and later headed it, which was renamed a separate mechanized brigade. He also participated as a member of the Ukrainian army who fought alongside the United States of America in Afghanistan after 2001, and there he gained a special kind of military experience.
In 2007, O.Syrskyi was appointed Chief of Staff — First Deputy Commander of the Joint Operational Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In 2009, by decree of President Viktor Yushchenko, Syrsky received the rank of major general. During 2011–2012, he was the first deputy chief of the Main Department of Military Cooperation and Peacekeeping Operations of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
In 2013, the last year of peace for Ukraine, Syrsky was the first deputy head of the Main Command Center of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. In this position, he was, in particular, responsible for the cooperation of the Ukrainian army with NATO and the implementation of part of the Alliance standards in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.In November 2013, Syrsky, on behalf of the Ministry of Defense, discussed changes in the Ukrainian army in accordance with NATO standards at the NATO headquarters of the alliance.
In difficult times for the country, connected with the occupation of a part of the territory, he put all his rich experience as a soldier and commander to protect the interests of the state. The year 2014 was a turning point in his career, and coinciding with the start of the military escalation in eastern Ukraine, he was chosen for the position of commander of military operations against the pro-Russian separatists. Here he fought several confrontations and battles on behalf of the Ukrainian forces that fought the rebels supported by Moscow in the Donetsk region in the east of the country. He was responsible for resisting "terrorist operations", led operations in eastern Ukraine, and played a decisive role in the war that broke out due to Russia's annexation of Crimea. He later received a high military medal.
In 2015, his star shone in the Donbass region in the east of the country, which at that time was prey to the fighting against pro-Russian separatists, and he was appointed deputy commander of the Ukrainian defense operation. He was involved in the management of battles in Vuglehirsk, the village of Ridkodub, and the unsuccessful attempt to recapture Logvynove. He also coordinated the exit of the Ukrainian military from Debaltseve.
In particular, he was one of the main commanders of the ATO forces during the battles for Debaltseve in the winter of 2015, together with the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Viktor Muzhenko. They went to the city itself. The hottest battles of the entire ATO period were in full swing there: Debaltsevo and the surrounding villages seemed to crash into territories controlled by the self-proclaimed DPR. The Armed Forces of Ukraine tried to hold the city, which could become a springboard for further attacking actions; the militants, who were already openly supported by the regular Russian military (there tankers from Buryatia were first recorded fighting on the side of the DPR), wanted to “cut off” the Debaltsevo ledge.
Initially, the purpose of Syrsky’s arrival was to understand the situation; in the end, it was he who commanded some of the military clashes, and later coordinated the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the city. Under his leadership, possible ways of crossing the Karapulka River were mined. However, the head of the sector, according to the general, did not allow all the detonations to be carried out, due to which the crossings were captured by the enemy. It was the "Bars" group formed by Sirsky that covered the withdrawal of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from Debaltseve.
Russian propaganda described the abandonment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces of Debaltsevo as a stampede, accompanied by numerous casualties. Syrsky later insisted: the retreat was carefully planned and well organized. “With my units, I occupied two heights along the road along which the exit was made. They were occupied by paratroopers and held those two heights virtually until our units completely left Debaltsevo... At the time of exit, all the main strongholds and units of the enemy were suppressed, and he was unable to adequately react to our exit. Therefore, the exit was carried out in an organized manner - on foot or in cars, but in an organized manner,” he later told Ukrainskaya Pravda.
The Debaltsevo operation also had a political dimension. During the days of the fighting for Debaltsevo, a meeting of the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France took place in the capital of Belarus. On it, Vladimir Putin argued that thousands of Ukrainian soldiers were surrounded in the “Debaltsevo cauldron”, and in order to save their lives, Kyiv must make serious concessions.
The retention of the city until the end of the Minsk negotiations, and later the more or less organized withdrawal of the Ukrainian Armed Forces from Debaltsevo was, apparently, positively assessed by the then leadership of Ukraine. For the battles at the Debaltsevo bridgehead, Oleksandr Syrsky was awarded the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky III degree and later received the rank of lieutenant general (05/06/2019).
And in 2017, he was the commander of the entire Anti-Terrorist Operation in the East of Ukraine, which was later replaced by the Joint Forces Operation.
Thanks to the key role he played in several battles, he was assigned the task of heading the Joint Operational Headquarters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, from May 6 to August 5, 2019. Syrsky, as the first deputy head of the Main Command Center of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, oversaw cooperation between the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense and NATO. Then, he was replaced by Volodymyr Kravchenko in this position. Apparently, someone from the Alliance leadership took a liking to him, which undoubtedly contributed to his confirmation in his next position.
He was appointed as the Commander of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on 05 August 2019. On August 23, 2020 - on the Independence Day of Ukraine - Syrsky received the rank of Colonel General. He built the new G-structure, designed to fulfill the main purpose of generating troops. Responsible for the performance of a number of tasks: planning, organization and implementation of measures for the development of ground forces, their acquisition of capabilities, control over the implementation of planned activities; planning and management of the territorial defense of Ukraine within the land territory; organization of training of ground forces to perform assigned tasks.
"There have always been people who carried the Soviet heritage into the Ukrainian army, and until they leave the service, perhaps nothing will change," said one of the soldiers who served under Syrskyi's command. "But he was progressive. Even when there were Minsk agreements, when part of the troops were withdrawn, it was possible to wave and not pay attention to the third or second line of defense. Syrsky had a different concept. They always had to be in combat readiness. He could command a combat brigade to deploy a unit, conditionally define a defensive line on the map, and watch how they react. Then Syrsky gave an assessment of the readiness of the brigade."" Syrskyi, a week before the start of the war in 2022, gave the order to withdraw the Ukrainian Air Force of the Armed Forces from the places of deployment and transfer them to more obscure locations.
Syrsky is often called the most successful commander of the 21st century. It was he who led the defense of Kyiv at the beginning of Russian military aggression, and he also organized the victorious counter-offensive near Kharkov last summer. And the actions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the east of Ukraine - one of the two main axes of the current counter-offensive of the Ukrainian Armed Forces - are also commanded by Syrsky. “We want to get very quick results, but in our reality this is virtually impossible,” General Syrsky admitted in an 18 July 2023 interview with BBC correspondent Jonathan Beale .
Bloomberg pointed to his key role in the defense of Kiev “against all odds” at the start of Russia’s military operation in 2022, and Business Insider hailed his command as a “shocking upset that surprised many who assumed the capital would fall quickly.” AFP went so far as to suggest that it was Syrsky who scuppered “the Kremlin’s" purported "plans to bring the country to its knees within days.” President Zelensky awarded Syrsky the "Hero of Ukraine" title for the operation.
Syrsky’s fortunes continued along the same vein through the autumn of 2022, when, during an operational regrouping of Russian forces to concentrate troops along a smaller front as additional troops were called up during Russia’s partial mobilization, the commander was hailed, again without any particular skilled maneuvers on his part, for the so-called “Kharkov counteroffensive,” which saw Ukrainian forces reoccupying much of the region with almost no resistance as Russian forces pulled back.
Since assuming the role of Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi has ushered in a notable shift in leadership style, moving towards a more centralized, or "vertical," approach, according to an NV feature titled "General Control." Read the full version on nv.ua Sources close to the military chief, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, described how Syrskyi's hands-on leadership contrasts with his predecessor's more "horizontal" method. "Syrskyi personally visits combat brigades to directly assess the situation on the ground, a practice he maintained from his time overseeing the Land Forces," one commander told NV. A staff member from the General Staff who works frequently with Syrskyi characterized him as a "player-coach," actively engaging at the frontlines and interacting directly with troops down to the platoon and company levels.
However, some insiders have reservations about Syrskyi’s authoritative approach. "He’s an old-school authoritarian leader," said another source, noting Syrskyi's preference for a tightly controlled leadership structure that favors loyalty and personal closeness over purely professional criteria. This has led to strategic rotations within the military ranks. The same source added that Syrskyi tends to avoid negative updates from the battlefield, insisting on hearing positive developments. "While he listens to various perspectives, he ultimately bases his decisions on his own predetermined views or top-down directives," the source explained.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is “not particularly thrilled” with Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, a source within the administration told NV on 01 July 2024. [Read the full version on nv.ua] The president is reportedly dissatisfied with how the military prepared for and responded to the Russian incursion in northern Kharkiv Oblast in mid-May 2024. The administration’s dissatisfaction with Syrskyi stems from a variety of issues, not limited to the ongoing fighting in Kharkiv Oblast. At the same time, we were told that Syrskyi is unlikely to be removed from his post in the near future.
Ukrainian MP Mariana Bezuhla, who entered parliament in 2019 as a member of Zelenskyy’s Servant of the People party, has been publicly criticizing Syrskyi in recent months. On 19 May 2024, Bezuhla sharply criticized Syrskyi for appointing commanders who, in her opinion, failed the defense of Kharkiv and were responsible for the Russian breakthrough near Ocheretyne in Donetsk Oblast. On June 30, Bezuhla filed a complaint against Syrskyi with the State Bureau of Investigations, urging the agency to investigate his conduct as Commadner-in-Chief.
For impeccable long-term service, exemplary performance of military and official duty, he received high awards of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine "Valor and Honor" (2005), "Badge of Honor" (2010), "Firearm" (2014) and other departmental awards of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the armed forces of Ukraine. For his significant personal contribution to the development and development of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, maintaining high combat and mobilization readiness of the troops, strengthening the state's defense capability and security, he was awarded the honorary badge "Glory and Honor" (2015).
Married. Father of two sons. He conveys to them the principles that he himself adheres to: "Decency, honesty, humanity." This is consistent with his life credo: "To be, not to pretend."
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