Will and responsibility

Yevheniy Khmara has been assigned to temporarily act as head of the Security Service of Ukraine. However, the question revolves around other candidates.

The alarm was still ringing: Vasyl Malyuk, the head of the SBU, had left. Rumors of his dismissal spread on Friday, January 2, when the media, citing sources, claimed that they had already reached the end of his term. This caused a storm of discontent among military commanders and deputies, who stood up for the general in front of Volodymyr Zelensky. But on January 5, the president announced: the lieutenant general was leaving his post.

Vasyl Malyuk will remain in the history of independent Ukraine as the one who finally turned the SBU into a truly powerful special service. His high-quality decisions became the subject of admiration for many around the world. A difficult war required difficult leaders, and Malyuk proved that he could be one. These are not just words—this is reality, which is emphasized by military commanders.

The Commander of the Armed Forces of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, Robert Brovdy, points to the unique results of the SBU under Malyuk’s leadership: «This is the risk of weakening one of the key forces that restrains the enemy’s ruthless aggression.» Magyar knows what he’s talking about. He realizes that only worthy people should come to replace him. And for now, we have «a rather demanding wormy horror» that holds the bar.

Colonel Denys Prokopenko emphasizes the professionalism of Malyuk, who is immersed in the darkness of armed conflicts, despite the complexity of the circumstances. In his opinion, it is a great happiness in our country to have such a leader during a war, when life and freedom are at stake.

Another heroic vocalist, Commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Mykhailo Drapatiy, assures: what Malyuk does does not always appear in the news, but the results are obvious—on the battlefield and in the rear. This is a true test of courage and professionalism during a storm.

A few words about personal matters: Malyuk is leaving his post, but he will not go into oblivion. He will remain inside, involved in conducting asymmetric special operations, which will continue to bring losses to the enemy. A change in status is not a collapse, it is a transition to a new phase.

Now the duties of the head of the SBU are performed by Yevheniy Khmara, head of the Alpha Special Operations Center. His service began in 2011, and in 2023 he became the head of Alpha. His participation in the liberation of the Kyiv region and in the battles in the Donetsk region is impressive. The balance of destroyed Russian equipment exceeds five and a half billion dollars—now these are not just numbers.

Khmara, a hero on the battlefield, is modernizing approaches, has implemented special operations against military targets deep in Russia. But he is only temporary—the appointment requires a deeper study of the candidates. Volodymyr Zelensky has already met with him and discussed the future, and the name of Colonel Vasyl Kozak, who has heroic experience, is also on the radar.

Are we really ready to face the new times? Will we be able to defend the truth when the conflict escalates? The responsibility lies with each of us, and we have no right to stop. Real action against imitations is the basis of our success.