President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has replaced the head of Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) as part of a broader reshuffle of top officials, shaking up the leadership of a key agency in the country’s shadow war against Russia.
On Monday, Zelenskyy named Major-General Yevhenii Khmara as the acting head of the powerful SBU, replacing Vasyl Maliuk, who had run the agency since 2022. The SBU described Khmara as an experienced commander who has served in the elite Alfa combat unit since 2011 and led it since 2023.
The change comes as Russia’s war in Ukraine nears the four-year mark with no end in sight, despite recent intense diplomacy. Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022, continues to hold about one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, which it seized in 2014.
Zelenskiy Calls for More “Asymmetric Operations”
In a statement on the social media platform X, President Zelenskiy explained the move, stating he had asked the outgoing Maliuk to focus on combat operations. “There must be more Ukrainian asymmetric operations against the occupier and the Russian state, and more solid results in eliminating the enemy,” Zelenskyy wrote.
This leadership change is part of a wider government reshuffle that had been on hold during recent peace negotiations, which produced no breakthrough. Last week, Zelenskyy named military spy chief Kyrylo Budanov as his chief of staff. New defence and energy ministers are also expected to be named.
Commanders and Lawmakers React to Change
Some commanders publicly defended Maliuk after reports of his impending exit circulated over the weekend. Drone forces chief Robert Brovdi warned that replacing him risked weakening “one of Ukraine’s key contemporary heavyweight” agencies fighting Russia.
Solomiia Bobrovska, a lawmaker on the parliamentary defence, security and intelligence committee, told Reuters she did not think Maliuk’s removal was “necessary today.”
“In my opinion, under Maliuk’s leadership, the SBU has been doing its job successfully in the current political situation, balancing between political tasks, combat operations and economic issues,” she said. She also noted that Zelenskiy effectively bypassed parliament by appointing Khmara as a placeholder via decree.
Maliuk’s Tenure and the “Spiderweb” Operation
Vasyl Maliuk, a career SBU official, took over the agency in 2022 after his predecessor, Ivan Bakanov, was dismissed for failing to root out Russian spies. Maliuk oversaw a significant overhaul of the SBU and a series of high-profile operations against Russian targets.
His most sophisticated operation, codenamed “Spiderweb,” was carried out in May 2025. The operation used small drones hidden in cargo trucks to attack dozens of highly valuable Russian strategic bombers at airbases far beyond Ukraine’s usual strike range.
A senior Ukrainian official, speaking anonymously, told Reuters that Maliuk had been offered the leadership of the smaller foreign intelligence service but declined the position. The foreign spy service is currently without a chief, and the head of the border guard service has also been replaced, underscoring the extent of the ongoing security reshuffle.
Broader Reshuffle Continues
The broader government restructuring continues, with Mykhailo Fedorov, Zelenskyy’s choice for defence minister, still awaiting parliamentary approval. Zelenskyy stated on Monday that he wants Fedorov to focus on technology and innovation to “counter Russia’s desire to make this war endless.”
Additionally, Zelenskyy has appointed First Deputy Foreign Minister Serhiy Kyslytsia as a first deputy to his new chief of staff, Kyrylo Budanov, bringing a member of Ukraine’s diplomatic negotiating team into his administration.
