The Ukrainian spy chief known for orchestrating the bold drone attack on bombers deep behind Russian lines was shockingly forced out by President Volodymyr Zelensky — and questions have swirled over the reason for his ouster.
Vasyl Malyuk, who had officially been designated a “Hero of Ukraine,” resigned from his post leading the Security Service of Ukraine Monday, after initially refusing Zelensky’s orders to step down over the weekend, the Guardian reported.
Malyuk will not be completely pulled from services, but will continue organizing Ukraine’s “asymmetric operations” against Russia.
President Zelensky forced Vasyl Malyuk out of his position leading the nation’s spy agency on Monday. UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE/AFP via Getty Images
“I am leaving my post as head of the Security Service. I will stay in the system to carry out operations that continue to inflict maximum damage on the enemy,” he wrote in a telegram post after his resignation. “A strong, modern intelligence service is key to our state’s security.”
Zelensky echoed the statement, explaining Malyuk would be put to work focusing on operations similar to Operation Spiderweb, the behind-the-lines June strike that saw drones stashed in Russian trucks emerge and destroy a fleet of strategic bombers.
“I had a meeting with Vasyl Maliuk. I thanked him for his combat service and proposed that he focus on this line of work specifically,” Zelensky said. “This is where Vasyl is at his strongest, and this is exactly what he will continue to do within the Security Service of Ukraine.”
But some critics within Ukrainian leadership have argued that removing Malyuk will only diminish the effectiveness of the spy agency, which has also made headlines for numerous high-profile assassinations of Russian officials.
Vasyl Malyuk was behind the June behind-the-lines drone attack on Russian bombers that commanded headlines. REUTERS
Zelensky has said he is simply looking to surround himself with new voices as the war approaches the four-year mark, but some reports suggest there may have been other motivations.
Malyuk’s ousting could be related to corruption allegations that have dogged members of Zelensky’s inner circle, according to the outlet Ukrainska Pravda, which cited sources that said Malyuk was forced out by the president’s former chief of staff Anriy Yermak.
Yermak’s home was searched as part of a corruption probe in November, according to the Guardian. He was not officially accused of any crimes, and resigned after the investigation.
Zelensky said he wanted new voices weighing in on the war effort. Anadolu via Getty Images
Malyuk isn’t the only leader to be forced out by Zelensky in recent months — prompting some to suspect he may be trying to remove potential opponents ahead of the country’s next presidential election.
Zelensky, however, indicated in September that he had no intentions of running for president again if the next election was held after the war ends.