Zelenskyy meets with two generals from Ukraine's Security Service

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has met with two generals from the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU): Major General Oleksandr Poklad and Brigadier General Denys Kylymnyk.

Source: Zelenskyy on X (Twitter)

Quote: "I met with Major General Oleksandr Poklad of the Security Service of Ukraine. The defence of Ukraine's statehood and counterintelligence work within the SSU have been significantly strengthened, and this direction will continue to develop. We went over specific tasks and operations aimed at making the Russian occupiers feel even more of the strength of Ukraine's Security Service."

Details: Sources told Ukrainska Pravda that Poklad is one of the leading contenders for the post of SSU chief.

Zelenskyy also had a meeting with Denys Kylymnyk, First Deputy Head of the SSU Special Operations Centre Alpha. In summer 2025, the Ukrainian leader awarded the title Hero of Ukraine to Kylymnyk. During the meeting, they reviewed the SSU's work over the years of war and exchanged assessments of the service's potential future development.

Background: Zelenskyy spoke earlier about a meeting with Vasyl Maliuk, during which they discussed candidates to succeed him as the head of the SSU.

The Ukrainian leader said Maliuk will continue working within the SSU structure on Ukrainian asymmetric operations against the Russians.

Maliuk announced that he is stepping down from his post.

Zelenskyy issued a decree stipulating that "in the event of the temporary absence of the head of the Security Service of Ukraine, an acting head of the Security Service of Ukraine may be appointed by the President of Ukraine".

By another decree dated 5 January, Zelenskyy appointed Major General Yevhen Khmara, Head of the Special Operations Centre Alpha of the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU), as the acting head of the agency.

Read also the Ukrainska Pravda article: All change: why Zelenskyy is reshuffling Budanov, Fedorov, Shmyhal, Maliuk and others (translation coming soon)

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!