Ukraine parliament approves resignation of security service chief in major reshuffle

Ukraine’s parliament voted on Tuesday to dismiss the head of the country’s security service and approved several other high-level resignations as part of a sweeping government reshuffle launched by President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Vasyl Maliuk, chief of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), said he would step down from the post but remain in the agency to continue operations against Russia.

Maliuk, who was appointed SBU chief in 2023, oversaw some of the agency’s most high-profile operations during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

In June last year, he coordinated the so-called Spider Web operation, in which more than 100 Ukrainian drones struck Russian air bases deep inside Russia. Kyiv said the attack caused about $7 billion in damage and disabled more than a third of Russia’s strategic bomber fleet.

Under Maliuk’s leadership, the SBU also carried out several targeted assassinations and deployed a new generation of Sea Baby naval drones used in successful Black Sea operations, including strikes on the Crimean Bridge.

His removal drew criticism from some Ukrainian military figures. Local media outlet Ukrainska Pravda reported that Maliuk’s resignation followed direct pressure from Zelensky.

A presidential communications adviser said last week that Yevhenii Khmara, head of the SBU’s Alpha special operations unit, would serve as acting chief of the agency.

Broader reshuffle

Zelensky said in early January that he planned to rotate “absolutely all” heads of law-enforcement agencies and overhaul Ukraine’s defence sector, describing the move as a precautionary step.

If Russia refuses to pursue a diplomatic end to the war and Ukraine is forced to continue fighting, Zelensky said, the country would need “fresh forces” to sustain its defence.

Among the most significant changes, Zelensky appointed military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov to head the president’s office, replacing long-time chief of staff Andriy Yermak. Oleh Ivashchenko, the head of Ukraine’s foreign intelligence service, is set to replace Budanov as chief of military intelligence.

On Tuesday, parliament also approved the resignations of Defence Minister Denys Shmyhal and Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. Lawmakers did not, however, approve proposals to appoint Shmyhal as energy minister or Fedorov as defence minister. Those appointments, along with possible replacements, are expected to be considered at a parliamentary session on Wednesday.