Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has officially appointed Sergei Poklad as the acting head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). This decision follows the shift of Yevhen Khmara, who previously served as the temporary head of the agency, to the role of acting Minister of Defense of Ukraine.
Poklad has been with the SBU as Deputy Head since 2023 and received the title of Hero of Ukraine in 2025. Reports had circulated prior to the announcement regarding his new role within the agency.
Following the resignation of Vasyl Malyuk, both Poklad and Khmara effectively co-managed the SBU, with Khmara overseeing military operations and Poklad in charge of counterintelligence, including military counterintelligence. Both reported directly to the president.
Poklad is noted as the only deputy who remained in the SBU after Malyuk’s dismissal and has now been elevated to the top role. His extensive experience in the counterintelligence department includes significant contributions, such as informing the president about the capture of a Russian national allegedly involved in the execution of Ukrainian prisoners in the Kursk region.
