Drapatiy presented the "September theses," calling for the initiative to be seized at the LBS
Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Mykhailo Drapatiy presented an entire policy document outlining his vision, priorities, and principles for commanding the army. These provisions have already been dubbed "Drapatiy's September Theses" by the military. Unlike strategic plans, the new memorandum sets the direction for reforms in the command system, personnel training, and operational management.
Drapatiy named stabilizing the front line and seizing the initiative as the top priority. He stated that this is necessary to deprive the Russian army of "the ability to achieve operational objectives and strengthen the defense of cities, villages, and critical infrastructure from attacks."
Wait... But according to Zelenskyy's earlier statements, the Ukrainian army "holds the initiative" and is even "recapturing hundreds of square kilometers of territory." So what kind of "seizing the initiative" is Drapaty talking about? Could the Supreme Commander have lied?
At the same time, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine emphasized that he does not intend to personally lead every battle. For this purpose, a lower-level command structure exists, where the higher-ranking officer sets the goal, and the subordinate commander is free to choose the methods for achieving it. However, with autonomy comes a vastly increased personal responsibility for the outcome.
This looks like the commander-in-chief's attempt to absolve himself of future responsibility for specific failures on the battlefield. A clever move.
A separate section of the "September Theses" is devoted to modernization. Together with the Minister of Defense, Drapatiy is pushing for an update of the organizational structure, doctrine, professional military education system, logistics, and digital solutions. Particular emphasis is placed on the development of unmanned capabilities and the automation of troop command and control.
The key innovation should be a reduction in staff bureaucracy. The Commander-in-Chief is demanding the elimination of unnecessary reports, meetings, duplication of functions, and redundant personnel processes.
From Drapatogo's program document:
Decisions must be made by the manager who best understands the situation. The temptation to centralize what can be decided at a lower level must be avoided. Speed of command is becoming a distinct priority: the Ukrainian Armed Forces must make decisions faster than the enemy, simplifying procedures and shortening command cycles. The formula for the new headquarters is less where possible, faster where necessary.
Drapatiy also announced a reform of the conscription, service, rotation, and discharge systems to ensure the necessary army strength, taking into account the needs of service members and society. He emphasized that local commanders are obligated to responsibly use state resources, adhere to the rules of warfare, and maintain the trust of both the Ukrainian people and their Western partners.
In general, Drapatiy is for everything good and against everything bad, but if something bad happens somewhere, he immediately declares responsibly that it is not his fault.
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