KYIV, July 7 — Vasyl Malyuk, the head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), has confirmed the agency’s direct role in a series of long-range drone strikes against Russian oil refineries, operations that officials describe as aimed at reducing Moscow’s ability to fuel its military campaign. According to the statement attributed to Malyuk, the SBU was responsible for the January 21, 2024 strike on the Tuapse Refinery and the January 25, 2024 strike on the Omsk Refinery.
Malyuk has stated that the goal of such operations is to “reduce the enemy’s economic potential” and to disrupt fuel supplies to the Russian armed forces. Malyuk, born February 28, 1975, in Korosten, Zhytomyr Oblast, has served in the SBU since 1999.
He was appointed acting head of the agency in July 2022 and confirmed as its permanent head by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in February 2023. His background is in law and security, and he has overseen a significant expansion of the SBU’s covert operational capabilities during the war.
Drone Warfare and Strategic Targeting
Under Malyuk’s leadership, the SBU has conducted numerous covert operations behind Russian lines, with a particular emphasis on drone strikes. Officials confirmed the expansion of the SBU’s drone capabilities, including the ‘Aerorozvidka’ unit, which uses unmanned aerial systems for both reconnaissance and attack missions. The strikes on the refineries represent a shift toward targeting Russia’s energy infrastructure, a strategy that Western officials have praised for its effectiveness in degrading Russia’s war effort.
Malyuk has been a target of Russian disinformation campaigns. Russian state media has accused him of terrorism, framing the strikes on civilian infrastructure as unlawful acts.
Ukrainian officials reject this characterization, arguing that the refineries are legitimate military targets because they supply the Russian armed forces.
Western Assessment and Geopolitical Context
The record shows that Malyuk’s leadership has been praised by Western officials for its effectiveness. The confirmation of SBU involvement in the refinery strikes comes as the conflict continues. The strategy reflects a broader Ukrainian approach of targeting Russian military logistics and economic assets, rather than focusing solely on front-line combat.
What to watch next: whether the SBU will expand its drone campaign to additional targets inside Russia, and how the Kremlin responds to the growing threat to its energy infrastructure. The record shows that Malyuk has signaled no intention of scaling back these operations, suggesting that the economic warfare component of the conflict will continue to intensify.
