Following the resignation of Vasyl Maliuk, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has entered a unique phase in its history with the appointment of two leaders. Yevhenii Khmara, previously head of the Special Operations Center “A,” has taken on the role of acting head of the SBU, while Oleksandr Poklad has been appointed as the first deputy head, overseeing counterintelligence operations.
On January 5, the same day Maliuk announced his resignation, President Volodymyr Zelensky also approved a new organizational structure for the SBU. This restructuring increased the number of deputy heads from three to five and redistributed their responsibilities.
Alongside Maliuk, his first deputy, Serhii Andrushchenko, who led the Anti-Terrorist Center and oversaw the Department for the Protection of National Statehood (DZN), also lost his position. The DZN has faced criticism from activists for alleged pressure on civil society and its involvement in actions against the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) in July 2025.
In the interim, Khmara retains the powers previously held by Maliuk, overseeing several key divisions, including the Special Operations Center “A,” the Main Investigative Directorate, and the Department for Information Security Protection. He also supervises the regional SBU offices in Kyiv and surrounding areas.
Denys Kylymnyk, a former deputy to Khmara in the Special Operations Center, has taken charge of the Anti-Terrorist Center. The DZN is now under the purview of Ivan Rudnytskyi, who recently headed the Volyn Regional Military Administration.
Poklad, who served as deputy under Maliuk, has seen his responsibilities expand to include military counterintelligence. He is the only one of Maliuk’s three deputies to remain in the leadership following the restructuring.
While Khmara’s background is well-documented, Poklad remains a relatively private figure. He first appeared publicly in May 2025 during negotiations with Russian representatives, and his biography is absent from the official SBU website. Born in Kremenchuk, Poklad graduated from the Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University in the early 1990s and has a history of service in law enforcement.
In 2011, he sought legal recourse to be reinstated in the Ministry of Internal Affairs after being dismissed due to staff reductions while hospitalized. His legal battle lasted four years, culminating in a court ruling in his favor in 2015.
After a brief tenure in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Poklad transitioned to the SBU, specifically to the fifth department of the Counterintelligence Directorate. His rise within the agency included leading operations against organized crime and significant figures in the ongoing conflict in Eastern Ukraine.
Despite his low public profile, Poklad’s tenure has not been without controversy. Under his leadership, the SBU has made notable arrests, including that of a general accused of treason. In 2024, he was promoted to deputy head of the SBU, and in September 2025, he was awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine by President Zelensky.
As the new leadership settles in, both Khmara and Poklad have been reporting directly to President Zelensky, often separately. Their reports cover different operational aspects: Khmara focuses on military operations and cyber initiatives, while Poklad addresses counterintelligence and internal agency reforms.
In January and February, Zelensky noted multiple briefings from both leaders, indicating a clear division of responsibilities. Khmara’s role involves planning and executing military strategies, whereas Poklad’s duties encompass counteracting Russian operations and overseeing the SBU’s internal integrity.
Despite the changes, the future of the SBU remains uncertain. Former head Maliuk is still within the agency’s structure but has not been assigned a new role. The president has not yet proposed a new head for the SBU to the Verkhovna Rada, and recent parliamentary votes suggest that securing approval may be challenging.
The restructuring of Ukraine's Security Service following the resignation of Vasyl Maliuk has resulted in a dual leadership model, with Yevhenii Khmara and Oleksandr Poklad taking on distinct roles. This transition reflects a strategic shift in the SBU's operations and oversight amidst ongoing security challenges.