Vasyl Maliuk
Василь Малюк
🇺🇦 UkraineActive
Role
Head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU)
Rank
General of Police (SBU equivalent)
War Period
May 2022 – present
Vasyl Maliuk became Acting Head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) in May 2022 after President Zelensky dismissed his predecessor Ivan Bakanov amid accusations of Russian infiltration of the service. Maliuk oversaw a sweeping reform of the SBU, purging suspected Russian sympathisers and redirecting the agency toward counterintelligence, sabotage operations inside Russia, and drone warfare coordination. Under his leadership the SBU conducted numerous cross-border drone strikes and partisan operations in Russian-occupied territory.
Key Operations
- —SBU reform and counterintelligence purge (2022)
- —Cross-border drone operations against Russian military infrastructure (2023–2025)
- —Coordination of sabotage operations in Russian-occupied territories
- —Attacks on Russian fuel depots, railway infrastructure, and oil refineries via drones
Notable
Under Maliuk's leadership, the SBU launched long-range drone campaigns that struck targets hundreds of kilometres inside Russia, including refineries in Saratov and Krasnodar oblasts. Maliuk openly described these operations as a means of forcing Russia to divert air-defence resources away from the front.
Other Ukraine Commanders
Valerii Zaluzhnyi
ReplacedCommander-in-Chief of Ukrainian Armed Forces
Oleksandr Syrskyi
ActiveCommander-in-Chief of Ukrainian Armed Forces
Kyrylo Budanov
ActiveChief of Military Intelligence
Mykhailo Drapatyi
ActiveCommander of Ukrainian Ground Forces
Volodymyr Zelensky
ActivePresident of Ukraine and Supreme Commander-in-Chief
Mykola Oleshchuk
ActiveCommander of the Ukrainian Air Force
Rostyslav Pavliuk
ActiveCommander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces
Oleksandr Tarnavskyi
ActiveCommander of the "Tavria" Operational-Strategic Group
Mykola Balan
ActiveCommander of the Air Force of Ukraine
Serhii Nayev
ActiveCommander of the Joint Forces of Ukraine (North)
Dmytro Marchenko
ActiveCommander of the Mykolaiv Garrison; later Deputy Commander of Ground Forces
Viktor Horenko
ActiveCommander of the Special Operations Forces of Ukraine (SSO)
Rustem Umerov
ActiveMinister of Defence of Ukraine
Oleksii Reznikov
ReplacedMinister of Defence of Ukraine
Oleksii Neyizhpapa
ReplacedCommander of the Naval Forces of Ukraine
Andriy Kovalchuk
ActiveCommander of Ukraine's Southern Operational Command
Oleksandr Pavliuk
ActiveCommander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces
Andrii Hnatov
ActiveChief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Yurii Sodol
DismissedFormer Commander of the Joint Forces of Ukraine
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Vasyl Maliuk?
Vasyl Maliuk became Acting Head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) in May 2022 after President Zelensky dismissed his predecessor Ivan Bakanov amid accusations of Russian infiltration of the service. Maliuk oversaw a sweeping reform of the SBU, purging suspected Russian sympathisers and redirecting the agency toward counterintelligence, sabotage operations inside Russia, and drone warfare coordination. Under his leadership the SBU conducted numerous cross-border drone strikes and partisan operations in Russian-occupied territory.
What is Vasyl Maliuk's role in the Ukraine war?
Vasyl Maliuk (General of Police (SBU equivalent)) served as Head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) on the Ukraine side. Service period: May 2022 – present. Current status: Active.
What key operations was Vasyl Maliuk involved in?
SBU reform and counterintelligence purge (2022). Cross-border drone operations against Russian military infrastructure (2023–2025). Coordination of sabotage operations in Russian-occupied territories. Attacks on Russian fuel depots, railway infrastructure, and oil refineries via drones.
What is notable about Vasyl Maliuk in the context of the Ukraine war?
Under Maliuk's leadership, the SBU launched long-range drone campaigns that struck targets hundreds of kilometres inside Russia, including refineries in Saratov and Krasnodar oblasts. Maliuk openly described these operations as a means of forcing Russia to divert air-defence resources away from the front.
Is Vasyl Maliuk still active in the Ukraine war?
Yes, Vasyl Maliuk is currently active as of the latest available data (period: May 2022 – present).