Ukraine names Khmara acting SBU head as Budanov reshapes leadership
Zelenskyy reshuffles leadership, naming Maj. Gen. Yevhen Khmara of Alfa as acting head of the Security Service of Ukraine while Budanov remains chief of staff.
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Overview
President Zelenskyy appointed Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, as chief of staff, replacing Andrii Yermak amid anti-corruption probes and energy-sector anger.
In a separate move, Zelenskyy named Maj. Gen. Yevhen Khmara, head of the Alfa force, as acting head of the Security Service of Ukraine, signaling coordination across security agencies.
The reshuffles come as Kyiv seeks to strengthen national security and intelligence coordination amid Russia's invasion, with Western support and ongoing domestic reform pressures.
Budanov, a veteran intelligence officer with prior operations against separatists and in Crimea, has emerged as a central figure in Kyiv’s security strategy since the start of the war.
Analysts say the combined leadership changes reflect Kyiv's ongoing effort to consolidate security and intelligence leadership to better respond to Russian aggression and to strengthen Western-aligned defense diplomacy.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources say the reporting lacks framing. The AP article presents Budanov's appointment with straightforward biographical detail, context on his career, and stated implications for policy, without editorial judgments or loaded language; quotes from Zelenskyy and Budanov are included as reported speech, not as evaluative framing.
FAQ
Maj. Gen. Yevhen Khmara is a seasoned special operations officer who has served in the SBU's Alfa force and was appointed acting head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) by President Zelenskyy.
Vasyl Maliuk stepped down as head of the SBU after serving since July 2022 but will remain within the SBU structure, taking charge of a newly created unit focused on asymmetric operations against Russia.
Key changes include Oleksandr Poklad as First Deputy Head replacing Serhiy Andrushchenko, Dmytro Klymynyk as Deputy Head and head of Anti-Terrorism Center, Andriy Tupikov as Deputy Head, and dismissals of Oleh Dubrovin, Serhiy Naumyuk, and others.
Kyrylo Budanov, previously head of military intelligence, was appointed as chief of staff, replacing Andrii Yermak, and joined Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council (RNBO).
The reshuffles aim to strengthen national security, improve intelligence coordination amid Russia's invasion, ensure fresh leadership in security agencies, and respond to domestic reform pressures and anti-corruption probes.
