Zelenskiy makes high-level SBU appointments: new commander for Special Operations Center 'A'

Zelenskiy reshuffles SBU leadership, appoints new special ops chief

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy appointed Brigadier General Oleg Fedorov as head of the Security Service's (SBU) Special Operations Center 'A' and made permanent appointments to SBU directorates in eight regions. He also appointed a new deputy head to the Presidential Office.

Scraper SystemJuly 30, 2026, 09:35 PM

Zelenskiy reshuffles SBU leadership, appoints new special ops chief

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy implemented a wide-ranging personnel change in the Security Service (SBU), the country's main intelligence and security agency. By a decree signed by Zelenskiy, Brigadier General Oleg Fedorov was appointed commander of the Special Operations Center 'A' within the SBU.

The decree stated: 'Appointment of Fedorov Oleg Zinovyevich as Head of the Special Operations Center 'A' of the Security Service of Ukraine.' Fedorov took over the post from Evgeniy Hmara, who is currently serving as acting Defense Minister.

Zelenskiy also made changes to the SBU directorates in the Chernivtsi, Sumy, Poltava, Cherkasy, Lviv, Ternopil, Mykolaiv and Zhytomyr regions. Permanent appointments were made to replace the directors who had been serving on an interim basis in these regions.

A change also took place in the Presidential Office. Zelenskiy appointed Aleksey Sobolev, who previously served as acting Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture, as a deputy head of his office. Sobolev had also been part of the Ukrainian delegation at the negotiations between Ukraine and the United States in Geneva in February 2026.

The reshuffle in Ukraine's government continues. Parliament approved the appointment of 16 new ministers on July 16, but the positions of foreign and defense ministers remained vacant. Zelenskiy had previously announced his intention to dismiss Defense Minister Mihail Fedorov, and after Fedorov's resignation, support rallies and protests against then-Chief of General Staff Aleksandr Syrskyi were held in various cities, particularly in the capital Kyiv.

On July 22, Zelenskiy appointed Mihail Drapati as Chief of General Staff, replacing Syrskyi. The new defense minister has not yet been determined; Evgeniy Hmara is currently serving in an acting capacity.

Zelenskiy reshuffles SBU leadership, appoints new special ops chief