Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has ordered disciplinary action against senior security officials after a rare armed confrontation between two of the country’s key intelligence agencies erupted in Kyiv.
The incident, which occurred in broad daylight on Wednesday, involved Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, the GUR, and the State Security Service, known as the SBU. Several officers were reportedly injured in the exchange of gunfire.
Zelensky addressed the confrontation on Thursday night, making clear that he considered the incident unacceptable, particularly as Ukraine remains engaged in its prolonged war with Russia.
“Both agencies must be held accountable, both acted in a way that is absolutely unacceptable,” the Ukrainian president said.
He disclosed that two security officials, one from each agency, had been identified as suspects and that an investigation was underway to establish what led to the confrontation.
Zelensky also announced that the leadership of both agencies would face scrutiny, while deputies considered responsible for the incident would be removed from their positions.
The clash reportedly stemmed from a dispute involving a senior figure linked to the Russian Volunteer Corps, a group of anti-Kremlin Russians fighting alongside Ukraine and operating under the GUR.
According to Ukrainian media reports, the SBU detained a deputy commander of the unit as part of what it described as a counter-sabotage operation aimed at preventing a Russian-ordered assassination.
The SBU said investigators had uncovered contacts between the commander and Russian special services. The agency maintained that its operation was intended to prevent a potential murder.
The GUR, however, rejected the allegations and accused its rival of being targeted by a “targeted disinformation campaign.”
The confrontation highlights tensions between two agencies that have become increasingly influential during Russia’s invasion. Both have played major roles in Ukraine’s military and intelligence operations, while their responsibilities and powers have expanded significantly since the war began.
For Zelensky, the public clash presents a particularly sensitive problem. With Ukraine still fighting Russia, an armed confrontation between state security bodies risks exposing divisions within institutions central to the country’s wartime effort.
His decision to pursue dismissals signals an effort to reinforce discipline and ensure that competition between the agencies does not escalate into further internal conflict.
“It is important that the truth be established and that situations like this never happen again,” Zelensky said.
