'He hates us' — Russians are furious about Ukraine's new Commander-in-Chief Drapatyi

After several days of nationwide protests, President Volodymyr Zelensky appointed Mykhailo Drapatyi as Ukraine's new commander-in-chief on July 21, prompting outrage among Russian social media users and military bloggers.

One of the most experienced Ukrainian commanders, Drapatyi has been fighting Russia in Ukraine since 2014. He replaced Oleksandr Syrskyi, whose resignation became one of the key demands of the mass demonstrations that followed the controversial dismissal of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who had been at odds with the previous commander-in-chief.

Drapatyi's appointment was met with celebration among Ukrainian military personnel and protesters, while Russian social media users contrasted Ukraine's political system with Russia's and warned about the new commander-in-chief, describing him as someone who "hates (Russian soldiers) and hates them consistently."

Russian military blogger Kirill Fedorov shared a post on his Telegram channel, which has nearly 500,000 subscribers, featuring footage of Drapatyi breaking through a blockade in Mariupol as part of a BMP-2 crew. Russian forces attempted to seize the city in 2014.

"He hates us, and he hates us consistently. That means he will try to kill us, regardless of any moral constraints," Fedorov wrote.

Drapatyi's rise through Ukraine's military ranks mirrors the evolution of the war itself. He first served in a command role in 2014, when Russia launched its aggression against Ukraine, serving as a battalion commander in the 72nd Mechanized Brigade.

Nearly a decade later, during the full-scale invasion, he emerged as one of the commanders involved in the liberation of the occupied parts of Kherson Oblast and the defense of Kharkiv Oblast. His path to the top of Ukraine's military leadership included commanding the Ground Forces and serving as head of the Joint Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces before his appointment as commander-in-chief.

In a Telegram post, Yuriy Podolyaka, a pro-Russian blogger of Ukrainian origin, pointed to Drapatyi's age as a notable factor in his appointment. At 43, Drapatyi is considerably younger than Syrskyi, 60, and Russia's General Staff Chief Valery Gerasimov, 70. Podolyaka argued that despite his age, the new Ukrainian commander has developed a deep understanding of the war.

"Drapatyi is only 43 years old. And he started this war as a battalion commander!" Podolyaka said.

"This is bad news for us. A general who rose through the ranks during wartime and understands war is a very formidable opponent."

Another Russian military blogger, Alexei Zemtsov, wrote on his Telegram channel "Voevoda veshchaet" (The Voevoda Speaks) that Syrskyi's resignation is a negative development for Russian forces. Yet he also expressed doubts that Drapatyi would remain in the position for long.

"Unlike that blockhead Syrskyi, who just follows orders, Drapatyi genuinely hates us," Zemtsov said.

"We believe Drapatyi won't last long. He'll stick to his own agenda, and (Zelensky) will remove him."

In the comments sections of similar posts, dozens of anonymous Russian users shared their views on Ukraine's new commander-in-chief.

A user identified by the nickname SV pointed to former commander-in-chief Syrskyi's Russian roots and the fact that some of his relatives still reside in Russia, including his parents, Lyudmila and Stanislav, and his brother Oleg. SV suggested that these connections had restrained some Ukrainian attacks.

"That's it — 'Madyar' (call sign of Robert Brovdi, Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces Commander) has free rein now. Now it's going to be Armageddon," SV wrote on Telegram.

While some users raised concerns about Drapatyi's character and the potential impact of his leadership on the Ukrainian military, others highlighted that his appointment followed public protests, contrasting them with the lack of similar demonstrations in Russia.

"I envy Ukrainians. These people aren't afraid of a damn thing and take to the streets at the slightest provocation to stop the government from getting too cocky," another anonymous user wrote in a Telegram comment.

"No president would dare shut down the internet or slaughter the cows of the people like that. But we — we just put up with it. We'll swallow anything."