In a strategic move reflecting a new shift in the management of military and intelligence operations, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Monday the replacement of Vasyl Maleyuk, head of the National Security Service (SBU), as part of a broad restructuring campaign affecting defense and sovereign institutions in Kyiv. This decision comes at a crucial juncture in the ongoing war, as the Ukrainian leadership seeks to inject new blood and activate more flexible tools to address the challenges on the ground.
Details of the decision and the transitional phase
President Zelenskyy confirmed the replacement via his official social media accounts, posting photos of himself shaking hands with General Malyuk (42 years old), commenting, "I thanked him for his work." Despite being relieved of his post as head of the agency, Zelenskyy explained that Malyuk will continue to serve in Ukrainian national security, focusing exclusively and intensively on leading special operations against Russia, an area in which he has demonstrated high competence since assuming the position in 2022.
In the context of filling the leadership vacuum, the president signed a decree appointing Yevgeny Khmara, the former head of the famous Alpha department specializing in commando and counter-terrorism operations within the agency, as the interim head of the security service, indicating a move towards strengthening special field operations.
Operation "Spider Web" and the legacy of Maliuk
General Maliuk gained immense popularity among the Ukrainian public and an international reputation thanks to his daring in taking the fight deep into Russian territory. Perhaps his most notable achievement, which will be recorded in military history, is Operation "Spider Web" in 2025. In this unprecedented operation, the Ukrainian Security Service successfully carried out a coordinated and complex aerial attack, in which drones were smuggled into Russian territory using commercial trucks. These drones were then launched from close range and destroyed a number of Russian warplanes at their bases, aircraft that had been used to bomb Ukrainian cities.
Context of Changes: Between Diplomacy and War
This decision cannot be viewed in isolation from the broader context in Kyiv; Malyuk's replacement comes as part of a series of fundamental changes within the defense establishment. A week prior, the head of military intelligence, Kirill Budanov, was appointed head of the presidential office, and the impending replacement of the defense minister was announced.
Observers believe these changes aim to achieve two parallel objectives: first, to bolster combat and intelligence readiness in the event that international diplomatic efforts to end the war fail—a point Zelensky emphasized by stating his desire to "reactivate" these agencies in anticipation of Moscow's refusal to cease hostilities. The second objective is to leverage the field experience of commanders like Malyuk in specialized, high-level tasks, freeing them from the administrative burdens of agency leadership, thus ensuring the continuation of targeted military pressure on Russia.
