Zelenskyy appoints interim head of foreign intelligence
Oleh Luhovskyi (Photo: Office of the president)

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appointed Oleh Luhovskyi as interim acting head of the Foreign Intelligence Service (SZR). The relevant decree was published on the President's website.

Luhovskyi holds the position of first deputy chief of the SZR from October 2024. Before that, he was just a deputy.

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In August of the same year, Zelenskyy promoted him to the rank of brigadier general.

A year later, Luhovskyi was promoted to major general.

Among other things, the new acting head of the SZR was a member of the Ukrainian delegation during three rounds of talks with Russia in Istanbul in the spring and summer of 2025.

The previous head of the SZR Oleh Ivashchenko from the beginning of January 2026 heads the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR). Instead, the former head of this agency, Kyrylo Budanov, became the head of the presidential Office.

  • In late January, Luhovskyi stated that the Russian leadership was not currently ready for real peace talks and prolongs the time.
  • He also said that Russia plans to start mass production of Oreshnik missiles in 2026, but the effectiveness of such weapons is in question.