Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has ordered Vasyl Malyuk to resign. At the time of his appointment, Malyuk was acting head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). Malyuk has gained accolades for his daring command of special operations efforts against Russia. Now, though, he’s been named Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Kingdom — and clearly intends for that appointment to make him a less visible player.
Malyuk’s tenure as SBU chief was marked by audacious operations that included the destruction of Russia’s strategic bombers during Operation Spiderweb. His agency received headlines for pulling off a flush of high-priority assassinations focused on senior Russian army commanders. Malyuk proactively used unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to target Russian airfields well inside their borders. That bold move led to approximately $7 billion in damage.
Under Malyuk’s stewardship, the DGT has accomplished some remarkable firsts in a short amount of time. Zelenskyy forced him out, replacing him with new strategies to build Ukraine’s asymmetric warfare capabilities. During an emergency council meeting on Monday, Malyuk is said to have argued furiously to keep his job before conceding to resign.
“I had a meeting with Vasyl Malyuk. I thanked him for his combat service and proposed that he focus on this line of work specifically.” – Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Given the enormity of this leadership change, Zelenskyy pointed to the necessity for more impactful asymmetric operations to counter Russian forces. He claimed that making real progress on killing the enemy is central to Ukraine’s operating concept and security plan going forward. Following Malyuk’s dismissal, Maj Gen Yevhen Khmara was named acting head of the SBU.
In his statement, Malyuk reiterated his vow to fight corruption and to deepen reform efforts in the SBU. He stated, “I am leaving my post as head of the Security Service. I will stay in the system to carry out operations that continue to inflict maximum damage on the enemy. A strong, modern intelligence service is key to our state’s security.”
In other words, Malyuk’s contributions to Ukraine’s defense are larger than life—in a good way. For such exemplary devotion, last year he was awarded the highly coveted title of Hero of Ukraine. Malyuk, who is moving to a new post where he will lead unconventional warfare, He’ll remain an important part of Ukraine’s struggle against Russia’s unprovoked aggression.
The commander of Ukraine’s drone operations had previously called for Malyuk’s retention, indicating the significant impact he had on military strategies against Russian aggressions. These policy advances signify a major inflection point in Ukraine’s national security strategy. They demonstrate the shifting character of its intelligence and military efforts.