Zelenskyy appoints deputy head of Ukraine's Security Service
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed decrees dismissing and appointing oblast heads in Volyn and Ternopil oblasts and has also appointed former head of Volyn Oblast State Administration Ivan Rudnytskyi as deputy head of Security Service of Ukraine (SSU).
Source: Zelenskyy's evening address; presidential decree
Quote: "And today I continued personnel changes – both in the regions and in the Security Service of Ukraine. There will be more decisions."
Details: Later he signed several decrees. In particular, Ivan Rudnytskyi was dismissed as head of Volyn Oblast State Administration at his own request and Roman Romaniuk was appointed acting head of Volyn Oblast State Administration.
Zelenskyy also appointed Taras Pastukh as head of Ternopil Oblast State Administration.
By a separate decree, Ivan Rudnytskyi was appointed deputy head of Ukraine's Security Service.
All relevant decrees were signed on 12 January 2026.
For reference: Ivan Rudnytskyi is a counterintelligence officer, an SSU colonel with more than 20 years of service. He began his career as an operative and later headed regional SSU directorates, including in Zakarpattia and Volyn oblasts. In November 2024, he was appointed head of Volyn Oblast Military Administration by presidential decision.
Background:
- Zelenskyy appointed Kyrylo Budanov head of Office of President of Ukraine on 2 January, replacing Andrii Yermak.
- Budanov said he accepted Zelenskyy's offer to lead the Office of the President and called it an honour.
- Zelenskyy met with Vasyl Maliuk, then head of the SSU, on 5 January and discussed candidates to succeed him as the head of the SSU.
- It later became known that Yevhen Khmara, head of the SSU's Alpha Special Operations Centre, would serve as acting head of the SSU.
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