Ukrainian parliament dismisses head of Security Service of Ukraine
The Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) has approved the dismissal of Lieutenant General Vasyl Maliuk as head of the Security Service of Ukraine.
Source: live broadcast of the parliamentary session
Details: A total of 235 MPs voted in favour.
MPs considered the issue under a shortened procedure.
Maliuk was not present in the chamber. MP Dmytro Razumkov asked why the head of the SSU was absent from the session. Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk said that an invitation had been sent to Maliuk, but the reasons for his absence were unknown.
MP Artur Herasymov noted that MPs had not seen Maliuk's resignation letter and that it was not available on the parliament's website. Stefanchuk stressed that the consideration of the resignation of the head of the SSU and of ministers follows different procedures.
Previously: The Committee on National Security, Defence and Intelligence revised its decision and, on the morning of 13 January, supported the dismissal of Vasyl Maliuk from the post of head of the Security Service of Ukraine.
Background:
- The Committee on National Security, Defence and Intelligence did not support Maliuk's dismissal on 12 January.
- Earlier in January, Ukrainska Pravda reported that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy intends to relieve Vasyl Maliuk of his duties as head of the SSU and is considering appointing him as head of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine or as secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine.
- On 3 January, military commanders and analysts posted messages on social media voicing support for Maliuk and opposing his removal from office.
- On 5 January, Zelenskyy announced that he had met with Maliuk and discussed candidates to replace him as head of the Security Service of Ukraine. Maliuk later said in a social media post that he was stepping down.
- On the same day, the Ukrainian leader issued a decree changing the structure of the SSU and appointing Yevhen Khmara, head of the SSU's Special Operations Centre Alpha, as acting head of the agency.
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