Top Ukrainian cyber official resigns a year after taking office

The head of one of Ukraine’s leading cybersecurity agencies has stepped down just a year into the job, marking a broader shake-up within Ukraine's cyber services.

Yury Myronenko, a decorated serviceman and air defense commander, was appointed as the head of Ukraine’s State Service for Special Communications and Information Protection (SSSCIP) last December following the ouster of the agency’s two leaders amid a corruption probe.

"A year ago, I came straight from the battlefield to take on this position, and I successfully completed the tasks assigned by the Commander-in-Chief," Myronenko said in a statement on Friday. The agency’s duties include defending Ukraine’s communications networks.

He did not provide a reason for his resignation but mentioned that he would join Ukraine's Ministry of Digital Transformation, without specifying his expected position there.

During his time in office, Myronenko said that SSSCIP successfully launched a secure document management system, addressed the issue of unauthorized manipulation of Ukraine’s television signal broadcast and developed a system for digitally analyzing enemy air attacks.

“Despite a 60% increase in enemy cyberattacks, the number of critical incidents has been reduced by 20 times thanks to the implementation of systemic solutions,” he added.

Since his appointment, Myronenko has largely stayed out of the public eye and rarely made media appearances. When contacted for a comment, SSSCIP declined to provide further details about his resignation but confirmed that Myronenko's position in the ministry would be taken over by his deputy, Oleksandr Potii.

Potii joined SSSCIP in 2020. He holds a PhD in technical sciences with a focus on information security systems. He has more than 25 years of military service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and over 20 years of experience in academia. During his time as Myronenko’s deputy, Potii frequently attended international cyber conferences and forums, including CyCon in Estonia.

There have been many changes in Ukraine’s cyber leadership over the past two years.

Last November, two other Ukrainian cyber officials, then-SSSCIP leader Yurii Shchyhol and his deputy, Viktor Zhora, were dismissed amid an investigation into the suspected embezzlement of state funds. They were accused of involvement in a software procurement scheme in which they allegedly stole $1.72 million between 2020 and 2022.

In a recent interview Shchyhol denied any wrongdoing, adding that the accusations against him “do not reflect all the real challenges the agency faced.”

Zhora announced on LinkedIn that he had recently taken the position of co-founder and board member at the Center for Expert Research and Modeling — a nongovernmental analytical center specializing in scientific and practical research in the security sector. He continues to participate in local cyber forums and conferences.

Earlier in May, the head of the cybersecurity department at Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), Illia Vitiuk, was dismissed from his post following an investigation into his personal finances.

In October, Ukraine’s anti-corruption agency confirmed to Recorded Future News that it found “no discrepancies between the value of the property owned by Vitiuk and his family and the legitimate income that could indicate unjustified acquisition of assets.”

After his suspension, Vitiuk was reassigned to serve in combat on the front lines. Information about his current whereabouts has not surfaced.