Ukraine's Top Spy Chief Forced Out by Zelenskyy Amid Tensions Over Asymmetric Warfare.
In a move that comes as no surprise to those familiar with Ukraine's ongoing conflict with Russia, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has forced out his spy chief, Vasyl Malyuk, who led the country's most audacious behind-the-lines operations against Russia. The departure of Malyuk, who was awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine last year, marks a significant development in Ukraine's ongoing struggle to counter its adversary.
Malyuk had been instrumental in leading Operation Spiderweb, a daring operation that involved striking strategic bombers on Russian airfields using swarms of unmanned aerial vehicles. The operation is estimated to have caused an estimated $7 billion in damage and has been hailed as one of the most successful operations by Ukraine's Security Service since its inception.
However, Malyuk had reportedly refused to stand down after a meeting with Zelenskyy on Saturday, prompting calls from some quarters for his retention. Despite this, Malyuk was ultimately forced to resign at a meeting with the president, where he stated that he would remain in the agency to carry out "world-class asymmetric special operations" against Russia.
Zelenskyy's decision to oust Malyuk has sparked speculation about why the president chose to take such action. Some have suggested that Malyuk's removal was an act of revenge orchestrated by Andriy Yermak, Zelenskyy's former chief of staff who had his apartment searched as part of an anti-corruption operation in November.
Others believe that Zelenskyy is keen to clear the decks of prominent and popular figures ahead of next year's presidential election. Malyuk has been a prominent figure in Ukraine's military efforts, having led several high-profile operations against Russia.
Malyuk's departure marks a significant development in Ukraine's ongoing conflict with Russia. His agency has also been credited with a series of assassinations of senior members of Russia's military command, which have further strained relations between the two countries.
In Malyuk's place, Maj Gen Yevhen Khmara will take over as head of the Security Service. Khmara was previously head of the SBU's elite Alpha special operations unit and has a reputation for being one of Ukraine's top military strategists. His appointment is seen as a bid by Zelenskyy to maintain stability within the agency despite Malyuk's departure.
In a move that comes as no surprise to those familiar with Ukraine's ongoing conflict with Russia, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has forced out his spy chief, Vasyl Malyuk, who led the country's most audacious behind-the-lines operations against Russia. The departure of Malyuk, who was awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine last year, marks a significant development in Ukraine's ongoing struggle to counter its adversary.
Malyuk had been instrumental in leading Operation Spiderweb, a daring operation that involved striking strategic bombers on Russian airfields using swarms of unmanned aerial vehicles. The operation is estimated to have caused an estimated $7 billion in damage and has been hailed as one of the most successful operations by Ukraine's Security Service since its inception.
However, Malyuk had reportedly refused to stand down after a meeting with Zelenskyy on Saturday, prompting calls from some quarters for his retention. Despite this, Malyuk was ultimately forced to resign at a meeting with the president, where he stated that he would remain in the agency to carry out "world-class asymmetric special operations" against Russia.
Zelenskyy's decision to oust Malyuk has sparked speculation about why the president chose to take such action. Some have suggested that Malyuk's removal was an act of revenge orchestrated by Andriy Yermak, Zelenskyy's former chief of staff who had his apartment searched as part of an anti-corruption operation in November.
Others believe that Zelenskyy is keen to clear the decks of prominent and popular figures ahead of next year's presidential election. Malyuk has been a prominent figure in Ukraine's military efforts, having led several high-profile operations against Russia.
Malyuk's departure marks a significant development in Ukraine's ongoing conflict with Russia. His agency has also been credited with a series of assassinations of senior members of Russia's military command, which have further strained relations between the two countries.
In Malyuk's place, Maj Gen Yevhen Khmara will take over as head of the Security Service. Khmara was previously head of the SBU's elite Alpha special operations unit and has a reputation for being one of Ukraine's top military strategists. His appointment is seen as a bid by Zelenskyy to maintain stability within the agency despite Malyuk's departure.
by kicking out maluk, like he was doing a great job or watever! 
maluk had some big wins under his belt and it's not like ukraine needs another major shakeup right now. 
what's next? gonna make some random general head of the sbu too? 
khmara might be a good guy, but he's got big shoes to fill after maluk's departure... or maybe zelenkyy just wants some drama ahead of election time, lol. 
i'm kinda rooting for maluk to come back and cause more trouble for russia again 
... I mean, what's next? Are we gonna replace him with a robot or something? 
It seems like Ukraine's got some internal drama going on, and it's hard to say if Zelenskyy's decision was about revenge, politics, or just trying to keep the agency stable. Either way, I'm not really buying into the whole "clearing the decks" thing... sounds like a bunch of BS to me 
ukraine's spy chief vasyl malyuk just got axed by prez zelenskyy and it's no shocker, tbh. i mean, we all know zelenskyy is always trying to keep his pawns in line and make way for fresh faces ahead of the election 
. malyuk was a major player in those sweet behind-the-lines ops against russia, but i guess even hero status can't save you from the chop 
. maybe zelenskyy just wanted someone new to give him that 'asymmetric warfare' thing to keep going and avoid any controversy 
. time will tell if he can fill malyuk's big shoes 
think it's a classic move to take out someone popular and strategic before the elections next year 
also, $7 billion in damage from that op? mind blown 
.
and that operation spiderweb tho 
7 billion in damages?! but at the same time idk if it was really worth the risk... malyuk seemed pretty adamant about not leaving his job lol and now he's saying he'll still be doing "world-class" ops against russia