🧵1/ Ukraine isn’t just fighting Russian troops - it’s battling remnants of its Soviet military past.
A new generation of generals is clashing with old thinking that threatens battlefield effectiveness.
Here's why that matters now more than ever:
2/ Maj. Gen. Mykhailo Drapatyi is at the center of this shift.
After a deadly Russian strike killed over 70 trainees on June 1, Drapatyi resigned in protest, saying an army “where no one is responsible for a defeat is dying from within.”
3/ His resignation stunned many.
Drapatyi, just 42, was Ukraine’s ground forces commander.
A decorated officer who’s been fighting Russians since 2014 and who represents a new, reform-minded generation of Ukrainian leadership.
4/ Two days later, Kyiv quietly reassigned him to a new role: commander of Ukraine’s joint forces.
It was likely an attempt to keep him in the fight while managing political fallout.
5/ This isn’t just personal.
Drapatyi’s struggle reflects a larger battle inside Ukraine’s military: new officers shaped by war vs. Soviet-trained commanders like Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukraine’s current commander-in-chief.
6/ Many frontline soldiers believe Drapatyi’s approach works.
He emphasizes initiative, accountability, and flexible tactics.
Older commanders, critics say, rely on rigid top-down control that causes unnecessary casualties.
7/ In May, Maj. Oleksandr Shyrshyn of the 47th Brigade publicly criticized “clueless generalship” and “stupid missions” during the Kursk offensive.
His frustration reflects growing discontent among field officers.
8/ Drapatyi is famous for taking initiative.
In 2014, he led a dramatic armored breakout through Russian territory.
In 2024, he stopped a major Russian push near Kharkiv and helped stabilize the front.
9/ Once appointed, Drapatyi pushed reforms - replacing ineffective commanders, modernizing training, and focusing on battlefield accountability.
His leadership style earned trust among troops.
10/ Yet Ukraine’s warfighting suffers from old habits: excessive bureaucracy, suppression of initiative, and command structures that reward loyalty over performance.
11/ One Ukrainian soldier said: “If I fire extra shells preemptively, I spend hours justifying it with paperwork. It kills initiative.”
Others said Drapatyi is one of the few leaders who listens and acts.
12/ As drone warfare intensifies, Ukraine needs leaders who adapt fast.
The new UAS chief, Robert Brovdi, is reportedly targeting 35,000 Russian casualties a month, with tactics focused on eliminating drone operators.
13/ Ukraine’s military began shifting toward NATO-style mission command after 2014, but old ways persist.
Winning will require a full break from the Soviet system, both in spirit and structure.
14/ The stakes couldn’t be higher.
As NATO’s new Supreme Allied Commander Europe said, Ukraine can still win.
But only if it evolves. And fast.
End of the thread 🧵
Source: cepa.org/article/ukrain…
Addition:
DeepState has reported the systematic submission of false reports by some units of the Vuhledar tactical group, which has created a distorted perception of the situation on the line of contact. pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2025/…
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