Zelensky Shakes Up Security Leadership, Brings Budanov Into Presidential Office as Khmara Becomes Acting SBU Chief

Overview

• Presidential decrees added Kyrylo Budanov to Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council and moved him into the presidential office, while Oleksiy Ivashchenko was removed from the council.
• SBU head Vasyl Malyuk left his post and Yevhen Khmara was named acting chief, with several senior SBU roles reshuffled including Oleksandr Poklad as first deputy and new deputy appointments to head the anti-terror center.
• Opposition party European Solidarity accused President Volodymyr Zelensky of breaching the constitution by installing an acting SBU chief without parliamentary approval.
• LIGA.net, citing sources, said Malyuk’s exit followed the public exposure of the NABU–SAPO ‘Midas’ probe into an energy-sector scheme allegedly coordinated by businessman Timur Mindich, with investigators reporting at least $100 million laundered.
• Russian officials and commentators denounced the moves and rhetoric from Kyiv, tying tensions to a reported December 29 drone attempt on a Russian presidential residence and claiming the actions complicate negotiations.