The new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Mikhail Drapaty, over the course of 12 years of war, went from a battalion commander, who became a legend after a breakthrough on an infantry fighting vehicle in Mariupol, to the highest military position in the country. Back in 2014, his name became known throughout Ukraine after footage appeared in which a combat vehicle under his command literally broke through the city barricade.

In May 2014, it was his infantry fighting vehicle that broke through a barricade in the center of Mariupol during the operation to liberate the city police department captured by militants. The video then became one of the symbols of the beginning of Ukrainian resistance.

However, the biggest test for the officer was the events of August 2014. Units of the 72nd brigade were under continuous fire from Russian artillery and militants near Izvarino and Chervonopartizansk for almost a month. The Ukrainian military was left almost without ammunition, food and the opportunity to receive reinforcements.

In a report from Vikna-novyny, filmed after leaving the encirclement, colleagues recalled that they almost did not believe in salvation.

" But everyone believed in him,” the report said..

Drapaty himself admitted that the decision to break through was extremely difficult: “The decision was to break through. If you have to fight, then fight."

According to the military man, the greatest fear was not associated with his own life, but with responsibility for his subordinates. “It was scary to realize such responsibility for people. 260 people came out with me,” said the then battalion commander.

Thanks to Drapatoy’s decision, units of the 72nd, 79th, 24th and 51st brigades, the 3rd special forces regiment, border guards and more than 30 pieces of equipment were withdrawn from the Izvarin Cauldron. After the breakthrough, his colleagues openly thanked the commander. In the same TV report, the family of the future commander-in-chief was shown for the first time. After five months of separation, Drapaty returned home, where he was greeted by his wife Yulia and little son Ivan.

The military wife did not hide her emotions after the long-awaited meeting: “If she wants borscht, there will be borscht tomorrow.”.

Over 12 years, the Drapaty family has changed. Today the couple is already raising two children - son Ivan and daughter Anna. Despite the husband's publicity, his family remains outside the information space.

It is known that the general’s wife Yulia Drapata works at the Belotserkovskaya School of Arts and performs in the ensemble of bandura teachers “Alexandria”. She is involved in the popularization of Ukrainian folk music and culture, often participating in concerts. Mikhail Drapaty himself went through all stages of his military career during the war years..

After the ATO, he commanded the 58th separate motorized infantry brigade, graduated from the operational-strategic department of the National Defense University of Ukraine, where he received the transitional sword of the Queen of Great Britain as the best graduate.

After the start of the full-scale invasion of Russia, the general led the defense of the south of Ukraine, the operational groups " Now Drapaty headed the Armed Forces of Ukraine as Commander-in-Chief.