“Shooting yourself in the foot”: military and political figures reacted to rumors about the dismissal of SBU head Malyuk

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wants to dismiss the head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) Vasyl Malyuk and appoint him as the head of the Foreign Intelligence Service or secretary of the National Security and Defense Council.

This is reported by “Ukrainska Pravda” .

According to the publication’s sources in the President’s Office and the power bloc, Malyuk may be appointed head of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine or secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine. Zelenskyy announced in an evening address on January 2 that the changes would continue the next day and there would be more decisions on personnel changes.

Information about the possible dismissal of the head of the SBU has sparked a wave of criticism from the military, public figures, and experts. Many of them expressed concern about the possible weakening of Ukraine’s defense capabilities.

The Commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Mykhailo Drapatiy, also expressed support for the head of the SBU. He noted that he usually does not comment on events and does not seek publicity, since during war, it is not statements that are valuable, but daily work.

“The Security Service of Ukraine under the leadership of Vasyl Vasylovich Malyuk today has a tangible impact on the stability of our defense,” Drapaty said.

He added that he can speak from his own experience, leading the largest group formed during the war. Drapatiy constantly interacted with the SBU on issues of destroying critical enemy facilities, working in cyberspace and the information domain. Support for the Armed Forces from the SBU remains systematic even now.

“The effectiveness of the decisions of the head of the Service is measured not by the publicity of operations, but by the level of internal security and the impact on the enemy’s combat capability. The results of this work are tangible both on the battlefield and in the rear,” Drapatiy said.

The commander noted that he also owes his own safety to Vasyl Malyuk and his team. Systematicity, balance combined with determination, a team approach and a clear focus on results are the qualities that make the head of the SBU effective in his current position.

“War quickly puts everything in its place. In this sense, Vasyl Malyuk is exactly where he should be,” Drapatiy said.

The mayor of Henichesk, Stanislav Bunyatov, known by the call sign “Osman”, called Vasyl Malyuk an important figure in the national security system of Ukraine. He noted that talk of a possible replacement should remain rumors.

“In my humble opinion, replacing the leadership at this stage would be a serious mistake and would weaken the defense capability of our state,” Bunyatov said.

He emphasized that the SBU is not some mechanized brigade where you can replace the commander and expect some result. According to him, under the leadership of Malyuk, the SBU has become one of the most effective special services in the world. Bunyatov recalled Operation Web in 2025, during which 41 strategic bombers were destroyed and damaged, the third blowup of the Crimean bridge, the defeat of a Russian submarine in the port of Novorossiysk, and the destruction of every sixth enemy tank at the front by SBU forces.

The Commander of the Armed Forces of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, Robert Brovdy, known by the call sign “Magyar”, expressed his position on possible changes in the leadership of the SBU. He emphasized that he does not aspire to political positions and associates his future in civilian life with contemporary art and business.

“The rhythm, quality, and proportion of devastating strikes against the enemy carried out by the Security Service of Ukraine, led by General Malyuk, is unprecedented and unique in its pace and daily effectiveness,” Brovdy said.

He claims this, having worked side by side with the SBU special forces since the Bakhmut times. Brovdy noted that personnel decisions to replace the head of the Service today risk weakening the power of one of the key Ukrainian heavyweights. According to him, General Malyuk has unprecedented authority and respect among his subordinates and is a true commander in his place.

Serhiy Bratchuk, the head of the Public Council at the Odessa OVA, also negatively assessed the possible dismissal of Malyuk. He believes that it is impossible to dismiss a person who, during the years of full-scale invasion, restored the structure and made it one of the most effective in the world.

“General Malyuk himself, during his lifetime, became a Legend and a personal enemy of the Kremlin dwarf. His possible dismissal from office is a real gift to Putin,” said Bratchuk.

He added that such a decision would lead to a weakening of the negotiating position with partners in the West, since the connections that Malyuk has have been built up over the years. Bratchuk expressed doubt that the Verkhovna Rada would have enough votes for such a vote, and appealed to the president not to make a strategic mistake.

The commander of the Ukrainian Volunteer Army, Dmytro Yarosh, also supported Malyuk. He is convinced that Vasyl Malyuk is a patriot of Ukraine and a professional of the highest level and is in his rightful place.

Blogger Denis Kazansky noted that the situation with Malyuk is strange, since they are going to transfer him to some secondary position, although he has demonstrated quite effective work. He cited the opinions of several experts.

Journalist Yaroslav Zheleznyak writes that there are no complaints about the combat unit to the SBU, in addition, Malyuk stayed within the law and refused to carry out Yermak’s orders and spread suspicions to his political opponents.

The DeepState analytical project warned that the replacement of SBU head Vasyl Malyuk will negatively affect the further conduct of hostilities. In addition, certain generals and colonels will be able to spread more lies about the state of affairs on the front lines, which will create additional problems in verifying data for the political leadership.

Journalist Yuriy Butusov spoke about personnel changes in the government. He noted that the appointment of Budanov as head of the Defense Ministry and the announcement of the appointment of Fedorov as Minister of Defense, under certain conditions, could lead to the beginning of the formation of a real strategy and reforms in the defense sector.

“Talks about dismissing the head of the SBU, Malyuk, do not fit into the logic of strengthening defense capabilities. His role in the successful combat operations of the SBU is key, he has a real influence on the situation at the front, and is a key figure in the security system,” Butusov said.

He warned that if Maluk was removed, the country’s defenses would be weakened and the government would be seriously unbalanced.

MP Roman Kostenko called for not rushing into a decision to dismiss the head of the SBU. He noted that under Malyuk’s leadership, the SBU has significantly increased its capabilities as a special service.

“We see the results of work on the enemy every day: systematic, complex, and often daring operations. This is their strength – they strike at the enemy’s confidence and raise the bar for the entire system,” Kostenko said.

He emphasized that the SBU effectively catches spies, exposes agent networks, and consistently counteracts enemy special services. Kostenko noted that as of now, he sees no alternative to Vasyl Malyuk as head of the SBU and will not support his dismissal.

Military officer Kyrylo Sazonov called the possible transfer of Malyuk from the SBU to the NSDC a tragic mistake for all of Ukraine. He recalled dozens of destroyed Russian oil refineries, the Crimean bridge, Operation Web, the liquidation of Russia’s shadow fleet, and dozens of special operations.

“We have never had a SBU as effective as it is now. Speaking in the language of negotiations, Malyuk is a trump card, removing him means depriving Ukraine of one of the most important trump cards in the negotiations,” Sazonov said.

He suggested that the Kremlin would celebrate if Malyuk was removed from the SBU. Sazonov called for finding out who was behind the idea of removing Malyuk, since this person is working against Ukraine.

Journalist Tetyana Danylenko commented on the personnel changes. She called Budanov’s appointment to the office interesting, Fedorov to the Ministry of Defense a chance for reforms, and Malyuk, who was kicked out of the NSDC attic, a shot in the leg.

“Because this is the first head of the SBU who likes to fight with Russia, rather than engage in politics. And he is hardly replaceable in this sense,” Danylenko said.

She expressed doubts that anyone else would have pulled off Operation Web or kicked the Black Sea Fleet out of Crimea. Danylenko noted that any of the alternative candidates would focus on tightening the screws.

Volunteer and public figure Serhiy Sternenko recalled a number of historical operations conducted under the leadership of Malyuk since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. From the Crimean Bridge to the Web, the fighters of the Alpha unit showed themselves at the highest level.

“At the moment, we can definitely say that with Malyuk, the SBU has become a formidable force against Russia. And this strength of ours must be preserved,” said Sternenko.

He called on the state to always ask questions during this difficult time: how will this or that decision help strengthen the state in the war for existence?

Combat commander Denys Prokopenko, call sign “Redis”, also spoke in support of the SBU head. He spoke about his first meeting with Malyuk before the full-scale invasion in early 2022, when the Azov Regiment was performing combat and special missions along the entire front line.

“Our first meeting took place on the Svitlodarskaya Arc, in the settlement of Novoluhanske, Donetsk region. At that time, Vasyl Vasylyovych held the position of Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs,” Prokopenko said.

He noted that among all the high-ranking officials present, Malyuk listened with great interest to the situation and quickly understood how the intelligence system was built. After that, he asked professional questions on military matters, which were supposedly not in his area of competence.

“I am impressed by leaders who delve into the details and study issues from the inside, because everything is built on little things,” said Prokopenko.

The commander said that after inspecting the command post, they went to the positions that Azov liberated in 2019, where they came under artillery fire.

“Vasyl Vasilyevich endured it with a smile on his face. Then, deep down, I was glad that such an officer had appeared in the structure,” Prokopenko added.

He emphasized that these are the principles and approaches that operate in the Security Service of Ukraine. According to Prokopenko, Malyuk is a professional who is as immersed as possible in the details of the complex work of his subordinates.

“His sometimes unconventional decisions and effective management, as well as his unquestionable authority among the personnel, allow the SBU to successfully fulfill the tasks set before them,” Prokopenko said.

The commander emphasized that it is a great fortune for the state to have such a competent and dedicated head of the SBU during the war. If we measure the competence and efficiency of officials by their efficiency ratio for the year, then Malyuk is one of the most effective leaders who does his and not only his work at a high level.

Who is Vasyl Malyuk?

Vasyl Malyuk was born on February 28, 1983 in the city of Korostyshiv, Zhytomyr region. In 2005, he graduated from the National Academy of the Security Service of Ukraine with a degree in law. In 2021, he defended his PhD thesis and received the degree of Candidate of Legal Sciences.

He has been serving in the state security agencies since 2001. During his service in the regional departments of the SBU, he held positions from operations officer to deputy head of the department for combating corruption and organized crime.

Since 2014, he participated in the anti-terrorist operation in Donbas, was awarded the Order of the President of Ukraine for Participation in the Anti-terrorist Operation. From January 2020 to March 2020, he held the position of First Deputy Head of the Main Department for Combating Corruption and Organized Crime of the SBU. From March 2020 to July 2021, he worked as First Deputy Head of the SBU, Head of the Main Department for Combating Corruption and Organized Crime.

On February 16, 2022, he was appointed Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs. During the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, he and his colleagues went to meet the enemy in the Gostomel direction to prevent the landing of Russian troops.

“We did everything to prevent the enemy from entering Kyiv: we mined approaches, organized firing positions, trained instructors, and trained young National Guardsmen. We also deployed Stuhn anti-tank missile systems and packed cars with explosives,” Malyuk said in an interview.

A few days later, he returned to Kyiv to organize the defense of the capital. On February 28, 2022, he was appointed Deputy Head of the SBU, and on March 3, 2022, by presidential decree, he became First Deputy Head of the Security Service of Ukraine. The main task was to cut off the enemy’s logistics on the way to Kyiv from the Chernobyl direction. For this purpose, a unit was created in the ranks of the SBU, which was joined by intelligence forces. After the threat to Kyiv was eliminated, Malyuk organized the implementation of operational and combat missions in the Donetsk, Luhansk and Kherson directions.

On March 25, 2022, Malyuk was awarded the rank of Brigadier General, on December 1, 2022, Major General, and on January 6, 2024, Lieutenant General. On July 18, 2022, he was appointed Acting Head of the SBU after the resignation of Ivan Bakanov.

On February 7, 2023, the Verkhovna Rada approved his candidacy and finally appointed him to the position of Head of the SBU. At the meeting of the Verkhovna Rada, Malyuk stated that he would do everything for Ukraine’s victory.

“We have shown the whole world what Ukrainian character is. And now we must join forces and return Ukrainian territories. And as the head of the SBU, I will do everything for Victory. In the Ukrainian epic, we honor such a hero as the Cossack Mamai. In my office there is a picture where he sits on the skulls of Ukraine’s enemies with a bandura. So death is the only prospect we can offer the occupiers,” said Malyuk.

Malyuk also played a key role in the arrest of pro-Russian traitors, including Viktor Medvedchuk and the former head of the Crimean SBU.

During his leadership, the SBU conducted a number of high-profile operations. Under his control, more than 300 agents were exposed both in the SBU structure and in the church and state bodies. On February 12, 2025, he imprisoned the head of the SBU anti-terrorist center for ties to Russia.

On June 1, 2025, Operation Web was a success, when drones hit more than 40 Russian bombers deep behind enemy lines. Malyuk organized and commanded this special operation, which resulted in the destruction or damage of 41 strategic Russian aircraft that were missile carriers. Russia’s losses were estimated at $7 billion. This special operation caused the largest losses to Russian strategic aviation in modern history.

In 2022 and 2023, he led the naval drone attacks on the Crimean Bridge. The Sea Baby naval drone is named after him. The SBU’s use of surface drones in special operations initiated a new maritime warfare strategy. The SBU hit more than 10 Russian warships, which helped restore the grain corridor and reduce Russia’s dominance at sea.

Under Malyuk’s leadership, the SBU has hit over 1,700 Russian tanks, over 3,000 armored combat vehicles, nearly 250 air defense systems, and over 550 electronic warfare systems. As of mid-May 2025, the SBU has hit nearly 200 military facilities on Russian territory. Under his leadership, the SBU has become a flexible and technological intelligence center that is actively operating in cyberspace and at the front.

Vasyl Malyuk has a number of departmental awards and incentives. He was awarded the SBU badges For Courage and For Valor. For valor and dedication shown in the performance of official duty, he was awarded the Security Service of Ukraine Firearms award. On May 8, 2025, he was awarded the title Hero of Ukraine.

The day before, the Verkhovna Rada explained the situation surrounding the possible dismissal of the head of the Security Service of Ukraine, Vasyl Malyuk , and his possible replacement.

By the way, Oleksandr Kononenko was appointed the new head of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine . He replaced Oleg Ivashchenko, who was previously appointed head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense.

It was previously reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed that Mykhailo Fedorov head the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.

Recall that the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky met with Kirill Budanov and offered him the position of head of the Office of the President . The purpose of the appointment is to increase attention to security, the development of the Defense Forces and the diplomatic track in negotiations. Later it became known that Budanov accepted Zelensky’s offer to head Bankova. He stated that he continues to serve Ukraine and considers the new position as another level of responsibility to the country.

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