The controversial Ukrainian general Vasily Malyuk has taken on the role of the head of the SBU without the temporary title. What do we know about him?
Global Reload
Not many people were aware of this security official until Zelensky replaced the leaders of influential state institutions – the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Security Service of the country (SBU), where instead of his old friend and colleagues in show business Ivan Bakanov appointed Maliuk as interim head. Western media supported Zelensky, noting that Bakanov had been walking on thin ice in Kyiv for a long time.
Vasily MalyukBoth Ivan Bakanov and the former Prosecutor General Irina Venediktova are close friends of Zelensky. Their resignation may reflect significant disagreements at the highest levels of power in Ukraine. Experts believe that this strengthened the position of the head of the President’s Office Andrey Yermak and his deputy Oleg Tatarov, as they were the ones who advocated for Maliuk's appointment.
The Office of the President of Ukraine stated that Zelensky dismissed the security forces due to numerous cases of betrayal among department employees. According to Life’s source, the reason is different – Bankova’s foreign curators did not approve of frequent leaks of information, which, for example, resulted in the defeat of the mercenary camp at the Yavoriv training ground or an attack on a meeting of the Ukrainian Air Force command with foreign military in Vinnitsa.
Interestingly, shortly before his appointment, Malyuk personally participated in the detainment of the former head of the SBU of Crimea Oleg Kulinichwho is accused of passing classified information to Russian special services . Kulinich also allegedly took part in the activities of an organization involved in intelligence and subversive activities in Ukraine. Now, adviser to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Mykhailo Podolyak said that two days ago, an alleged attempt on Zelensky’s life was thwarted.
The devil from the snuffbox
The new chief security officer of Ukraine Vasily Malyuk was born on February 28, 1983 in the city of Korostyshev, Zhytomyr region (Ulyana Gromova street, 9, apartment 4). According to his official biography, Malyuk joined the SBU at the age of 18, during his military service. In 2005 he graduated from the National Academy of the Security Service of Ukraine with a degree in jurisprudence.
Malyuk began his work from the position of a simple commissioner, but soon he advanced well in the service thanks to his active participation in the ATO and his extreme cruelty. It is possible that Malyuk was involved in war crimes in the ATO zone.
In 2015, Malyuk became deputy head of department “K” in the SBU of the Zhytomyr region. Information appeared on the Web that he monetized the position through the sale of amber, timber and granite quarries. In theory, “K” was supposed to deal with the fight against corruption and financial crimes, but in reality, Malyuk took control of these areas.
In recent years, the Zhytomyr region has become one of the leading areas in Ukraine in relation to crime. This is because of the illegal extraction of amber. Complete villages are involved in this activity in the region within the forests, where the stone is unlawfully extracted with the aid of motor pumps. Initially, this illegal business was taxed by criminals, and later by the security forces.
Illegally acquiring amberDespite Ukraine being almost the global leader in the collection and export of amber, the state budget does not benefit from this, unlike Maliuk, who, as per Ukrainian media reports, made a large amount of money from it. Not only is amber extraction in Ukraine illegal, but it is also smuggled abroad without paying tariffs and taxes.
In the spring of 2020, Zelensky appointed Maliuk as the first deputy head of the SBU. He was in charge of the Main Directorate for Combating Corruption and Organized Crime. Upon taking on this new role, Malyuk immediately became very active. For instance, he worked to ensure the appointment of the head of the largest Ukrainian regional department of the SBU in Kiev and the region of his former head Oleg Golovash.
Even the former head of the information department of the Right Sector, Rada deputy Borislav Bereza, was upset by Maliuk’s actions:
On January 16, 2021, Malyuk took charge of combatting corruption at the national level and instructed 123 SBU officers to be deployed to all customs control zones of the country for a period of two weeks – supposedly for “search, documentation and suppression of possible offenses.”
And all of this despite the fact that, according to the law, it is solely the responsibility of the customs service and border guards to inspect vehicles, open cargo containers and check the compliance of markings.
As the deputy head of the SBU, Malyuk always acted without considering anyone, and this could indicate that he was given free rein to crime. He never disclosed his income statement on the official website, by the way.
Prior to Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine, Maliuk was temporarily reassigned as the deputy head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, but on March 3, he was reinstated at the SBU as the deputy head of the department and given general epaulettes. Since then, Malyuk has effectively led the SBU as a shadowy figure.
Maliuk is a strong Ukrainian nationalist. The general not only took part in the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) in the Donbass, but was also honored for it.
