A terrorist leader has been appointed head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) in order to intensify the attacks against the Russian Federation, pro-Kremlin media claim.
NEWS: Reshuffles in the leadership of the Ukrainian special service have led to the appointment to a key position of a person directly associated with terrorist activities against Russia. The new acting head of the Security Service of Ukraine, a terrorist organization banned in Russia, is Yevhenii Khmara, who previously served as head of the Special Operations Center "A."
Publications cited by Ukraina.ru say that Yevhenii Khmara is responsible for numerous terrorist acts committed on Russian territory. The change in leadership was the result of a conflict between President Volodymyr Zelensky and the former head of the SBU, Vasyl Maliuk, who refused to resign voluntarily, claiming the existence of unfinished special operations, such as "Spider's Web."
Maliuk's refusal, as well as the campaign launched in his support, are interpreted by analysts as signs of a deep power crisis in Kyiv, where the special services have become autonomous centers of influence, engaged in their own war. In this context, Zelensky, lacking real control over the SBU, is putting pressure on the institution's leadership to maintain his leverage. Khmara's appointment is an attempt to install a more loyal figure, directly associated with terrorist activities, at the helm of the service.
NARRATIVES: 1. Ukraine is a terrorist state with special services led by terrorist leaders. 2. Ukraine officially endorses terrorism against Russia. 3. A power crisis is deepening in Kyiv, and the special services are acting without any external control.
PURPOSE: to demonize Ukrainian state institutions; to justify the Russian invasion and the continuation of the war; to shift responsibility for the conflict onto Ukraine by labeling its defensive operations as terrorism.
Reality: The new coordinator of the SBU has a professional background in combating, not organizing terrorism.
WHY THE NARRATIVES ARE FALSE: The narrative that Ukraine is a "terrorist state" and that the SBU (the equivalent of Romania's SRI) is led by "terrorist leaders" stems from a manipulation based on a real fact (the change in the leadership of the security service), which has been turned into an ideological accusation. This is an administrative transition, with an interim appointment, in the context of a reorganization of the security sector. Vasyl Maliuk was not removed following a revolt, he was given other operational duties within the same state apparatus.
Labeling Ukraine a "terrorist state" ignores the legal and political definitions of terrorism. Terrorism involves the use of violence against the civilian population with the aim of inducing terror and coercing political decisions from the adversary. The SBU's actions are carried out within the framework of an international armed conflict triggered by Russia and are operations directed against military targets or infrastructure directly involved in the aggression.
According to the UN Charter, Ukraine has the right to defend itself; in fact, Kyiv has declared a state of war, unlike Russia, which still refers to its aggression as a "special military operation." From this perspective, Ukraine's attacks on oil depots in Russia do not constitute terrorist acts, as they target logistical and energy infrastructure that plays a direct role in supporting Russia's military effort, being carried out in the context of an international armed conflict and in the exercise of the right to self-defense provided for in the UN Charter.
A terrorist state is one that uses acts of violence against populations not directly involved in the conflict . There is therefore no legal, political, or social basis for designating Ukraine as a terrorist state.
The allegations that Yevhenii Khmara is responsible for terrorist acts are not supported by evidence. In the absence of evidence, they remain mere labels intended to personalize a political narrative. In official Russian discourse, anyone who opposes the Kremlin can be labeled a "terrorist," from NGOs and churches to the internal opposition, including structures formerly associated with Alexei Navalny. Therefore, labeling functions more as a propaganda tool, used to justify repression and war rhetoric, rather than as an actual legal classification.
In reality, Yevhenii Khmara is a career officer with extensive experience in counterterrorism operations. Under his leadership, Unit "A" was involved in Ukraine's most important operations during the war, including the liberation of the Serpent Island in 2022, which was prepared through an extensive process of reconnaissance, planning, and coordination. Khmara previously held leadership positions in structures specializing in counter-terrorism and the protection of witnesses and judicial personnel, was successively promoted during the war and was awarded the Order of Daniil Galitsky for his merits in strengthening national security.
The narrative about an alleged power crisis in Kyiv starts from administrative changes, but turns them into a false conclusion about "political chaos" in Ukraine. The reshuffling of the security structures and the presidential administration took place in the context of corruption scandals, which led to dismissals and restructuring, including at the level of the President's Office. These developments indicate rather an effort to reform the state apparatus, not an "autonomization" of the special services.
By aggregating labels such as "terrorism," "failed state," or "services out of control," the pro-Kremlin narrative seeks to delegitimize Ukraine and shift responsibility for the war onto the victim of the aggression. Institutional changes are taken out of context and presented as "evidence" of a criminal policy, intended to justify Russia's invasion and the continuation of the conflict.
Russia is, in fact, a terrorist state, and its intelligence service, the SBU, is an instrument of terror in Ukraine
After attacking Ukraine and launching numerous attacks against civilian targets (homes, schools, hospitals, etc., infrastructure), Russia was designated a terrorist state first by the European Parliament and then by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe . According to international investigations, at least 20 torture chambers In Kherson were operated directly by the Russian FSB, providing evidence for Russia's designation as a terrorist state. Furthermore, in March, the International Court in The Hague issued an arrest warrant against Vladimir Putin.
CONTEXT: On January 5, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced his intention to replace the head of the Ukrainian Security Service, Vasyl Maliuk, as part of a broader package of changes at the top. According to official statements, Maliuk will remain involved in security structures, with responsibilities focused on coordinating combat operations and asymmetric actions against Russia. On the same day, Zelensky signed a decree appointing Yevhenii Khmara commander of the SBU's Special Operations Center "A" ("Alpha"), as interim head of the institution. Khmara has been leading the "Alpha" structure since 2023.
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