He was born on 26 July 1965 in the village of Noviky, Kirzhak Rayon, Vladimir Oblast in russia, in the family of a serviceman. He spent his childhood in Kharkiv, graduating from school there. In 1986, Syrsky graduated from the Moscow Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR Higher Combined Arms Command School and was assigned to serve in Ukraine. Syrsky's career began as a leader of a motorised rifle platoon in the 426th Regiment, 25th Motorised Rifle Chapayev Division (stationed in Lubny, Poltava Oblast, Ukraine).
After the collapse of the USSR, Oleksandr Syrsky's life and career have been linked to independent Ukraine. In 1993–1995, he commanded a motorised infantry battalion in the 17th Regiment, and then the 19th Regiment, 6th Division, National Guard of Ukraine (Chuguiv, Kharkiv Oblast).
After the National Guard was disbanded, Mr. Syrsky joined Ukraine's Armed Forces. In 2000–2002, he held the position of Chief of Staff – First Deputy Commander of the 72nd Mechanised Division (Bila Tserkva, Kyiv Oblast). For the next three years, he commanded the 72nd Separate Mechanised Brigade, which was created in the effect of the division’s reorganisation.
Oleksandr Syrsky continued his military education at the Academy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, qualifying as an operational and tactical specialist in 1996. He became the operational and strategic officer in 2005 after studying at the same institution that had already been renamed the National Defence Academy of Ukraine. Both of Syrsky’s degrees were with honours. In addition, Syrskyi holds a Candidate (PhD) of Military Sciences.
Syrsky's further career was associated with the top command positions in the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine:
In this capacity Major-General Oleksandr Syrsky oversaw cooperation with NATO, in particular, he represented the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine at the talks at NATO Headquarters on the introduction of NATO standards in the Armed Forces in November 2013.
With the start of the Anti-Terrorist Operation in Donbas against russia's hybrid aggression, Oleksandr Syrsky was appointed Chief of Staff – First Deputy Commander of the ATO.
During the Debaltseve bulge battles in the winter 2015, Syrsky personally commanded the defence of Ukrainian forces. He was in charge of the Bars ('Snow Leopard') Tactical Group, which gave him his current call sign. Major-General Syrsky was involved in leading the battles in Vuglegirsk, the village of Ridkodub and the unsuccessful attempt to recapture Logvynove. In February, the Bars Group ensured the withdrawal of the Ukrainian military from nearly encircled Debaltseve, preventing the russian troops from overrunning our units. The forces of Sector C succeeded in holding the line along the Luganka River and gaining a foothold at the Luganske–Troitske–Popasna bridgehead, preventing the enemy from seizing new territories.
During the Debaltseve bulge battles in the winter 2015, Syrsky personally commanded the defence of Ukrainian forces. He was in charge of the Bars Tactical Group, which gave him his current call sign. Major General Syrsky was involved in leading the battles in Vuglegirsk, the village of Ridkodub and the unsuccessful attempt to recapture Logvynove. In February, the Bars Group ensured the withdrawal of the Ukrainian military from nearly encircled Debaltseve, preventing the russian troops from overrunning our units. The forces of Sector C succeeded in holding the line along the Luganka River and gaining a foothold at the Luganske–Troitske–Popasna bridgehead, preventing the enemy from seizing new territories.
For this operation, Syrsky was awarded the Order of Bogdan Khmelnytsky, III Class. In 2016, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general.
During 2016–2019, General Syrsky was the head of the Joint Operational Headquarters of the AFU, which was directly responsible for the operational use of troops. For a while in 2017, Syrsky was the Chief of the ATO in Donbas. From April 2018 on, the authority of leading the military operation in certain areas of Donetsk and Lugansk oblasts was transferred from the ATO Headquarters to the Joint Operational Headquarters (now the Joint Forces Command). In May–August 2019, Syrsky was the Commanding General of the Joint Forces in eastern Ukraine, and on 5 August he became the Land Forces Commander of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In 2020, he was promoted to the rank of colonel-general.
After the full-scale invasion of russia, Colonel-General Syrsky was entrusted with the defence of Kyiv (24 February – 2 April 2022). Two rings of defence were created in the capital under his leadership: on the outer suburbs and within the city. Blowing up bridges on Kyiv's fringes and a dam in Kozarovychi on the Irpin River carried out on Syrsky's orders, prevented the russians from attacking the capital. President Volodymyr Zelensky awarded Syrsky the title of Hero of Ukraine for his skilful leadership of Kyiv's defence.
The Colonel-General then distinguished himself during a counter-offensive in the Kharkiv Oblast (6–12 September 2022). The Operational-Strategic Force Grouping Khortytsia led by him liberated the towns of Balakliya, Kupyansk, Izium and nearly all the enemy-occupied areas in a week. In 2023, it was in the area of responsibility of Syrsky's grouping where the most difficult sections of the frontline in the eastern direction were located, including the stubborn defence of Bakhmut. The commander regularly visited the front line of his troops in person.
On 8 February 2024, Colonel-General Syrsky was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine by a President of Ukraine's decree.
The Colonel-General then distinguished himself during a counter-offensive in the Kharkiv Oblast (6–12 September 2022). The Operational-Strategic Force Grouping Khortytsia led by him liberated the towns of Balakliya, Kupyansk, Izium and nearly all the enemy-occupied areas in a week. In 2023, it was in the area of responsibility of Syrsky's grouping that the most difficult sections of the frontline in the eastern direction were located, including the stubborn defence of Bakhmut. The commander regularly visited the front line of his troops in person.
On 8 February 2024, Colonel-General Syrsky was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine by a President of Ukraine's decree.
Syrsky is married to Tamara Kharchenko, a chief inspector at the State Customs Service. The spouses have two sons, Oleksandr and Anton.
According to the russian media, his parents Liudmila and Stanislav Syrsky and his brother Oleg all live in Vladimir. Stanislav Syrsky, 84, is a retired colonel.
