Zelensky Orders Probe, Threatens Dismissals After Security Agencies Clash in Kyiv

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has ordered accountability measures against senior security officials after a rare shootout between rival Ukrainian intelligence agencies erupted in Kyiv, leaving several officers injured.

The confrontation involved Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, the GUR, and the State Security Service, SBU, which exchanged gunfire in broad daylight on Wednesday as the country continues its war against Russia.

Zelensky condemned the incident in a statement on Thursday, saying both agencies had acted in an “absolutely unacceptable” manner. He confirmed that two security officials, one from each agency, had been identified as suspects while an investigation into the confrontation continues.

The Ukrainian president said establishing the truth was essential and vowed that such a confrontation should not happen again. He also announced that the leadership of both agencies would be assessed, while deputy chiefs found responsible for the incident would be dismissed.

Ukrainian media reports have linked the confrontation to the SBU’s detention of a deputy commander of the Russian Volunteer Corps, an anti-Kremlin Russian formation fighting alongside Ukraine and operating under GUR command. The reports suggest the detention may have intensified tensions between the two agencies.

The SBU said its officers were carrying out counter-sabotage operations aimed at preventing a murder allegedly ordered by Russia. The agency claimed it had uncovered contacts between the detained commander and Russian special services.

The GUR rejected the allegations against it, accusing unnamed parties of conducting what it described as a targeted disinformation campaign. The competing accounts have added to questions over what triggered the confrontation and how the dispute escalated into an armed clash.

Both the GUR and SBU have become increasingly influential during Russia’s invasion, with their responsibilities and operational powers expanding significantly since the war began. The incident has therefore raised concerns about coordination between two agencies playing crucial roles in Ukraine’s national security.

Zelensky’s decision to consider dismissals underscores the seriousness with which Kyiv is treating the confrontation. The investigation is expected to determine responsibility and establish what led two of Ukraine’s most important security institutions to engage in an armed confrontation while the country remains at war.