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Volodymyr Zelenskyy has removed Ukraine’s popular security service chief, deepening a reshuffle of the country’s security services at a sensitive moment in efforts to end the war with Russia.
Vasyl Malyuk, who oversees the hunt for Russian agents and collaborators within Ukraine as well as sabotage and assassination operations in Russia, will be moved to a new position within the country’s security service (the SBU), Zelenskyy said on Monday.
Malyuk oversaw a rise in prestige of the SBU, which was broadly mistrusted in Ukraine before the Russian invasion. He was also involved in Kyiv’s ‘’Spiderweb’’ surprise attacks that hit and destroyed strategic bombers in four airfields deep within Russia in June 2025.
The lieutenant general said he would ‘‘remain within the SBU system in order to carry out world-class asymmetric special operations that will continue to inflict maximum damage to the enemy”.
The change is part of the most significant shake-up of Ukraine’s security and defence agencies since Russia began its 2022 invasion. Zelenskyy announced last week that the head of the country’s military intelligence (HUR), Kyrylo Budanov, would become his chief of staff, a crucial position left vacant after the resignation of Andriy Yermak following a corruption scandal.
Zelenskyy has also appointed a new head of the military intelligence service and put new names forward for the posts of energy and defence ministers. On Monday, he named former Canadian finance minister Chrystia Freeland as an adviser on economic development.
The flurry of new appointments comes as Zelenskyy has intensified diplomacy in a bid to secure security guarantees from western allies, while saying that the war will probably continue if Moscow maintains its maximalist objectives.
“Right now, Ukraine needs to strengthen its internal resilience — both for the sake of Ukraine’s recovery if diplomacy delivers results as swiftly as possible, and to reinforce our defence if, because of delays by our partners, it takes longer to bring this war to an end,” Zelenskyy said in a post on X announcing the appointment of Freeland.
The imposing, stocky Malyuk oversaw a sprawling security service of 40,000 staff.
The 42-year-old — who once posed for a picture with his hand around the neck of a senior SBU officer arrested for working with Russia — was particularly popular in military circles.
Rumours of his possible dismissal late last week triggered a rare show of support by prominent army figures including the commander of the military’s joint forces Mykhailo Drapatyi, who said the SBU “has a tangible impact on the resilience of our defence” under Malyuk’s leadership.
Yevhen Khmara will serve as interim SBU head. Until now he had commanded an elite special force unit within the SBU. The appointment of Malyuk’s successor will be subject to a parliamentary vote.