SBU (Security Service of Ukraine)

Origins

According to the SBU, 25 March 1992 is the service’s official founding date: on that day the Verkhovna Rada passed the Law on the Security Service of Ukraine. Shortly afterwards its officers swore an oath of loyalty to the Ukrainian people.²

Status and tasks

The Research Service of the Verkhovna Rada, following the 1992 law, describes the SBU as a special-purpose state body with law enforcement functions, entrusted with ensuring state security. It identifies counterintelligence, information security and cyber defence, counterterrorism and the protection of state secrets as its priorities.¹

Article 24 of the law requires the SBU, among other things, to provide the authorities with analytical information; to provide counterintelligence protection for missions abroad, the defence industry, the armed forces and key sectors; to carry out counterintelligence measures against espionage and sabotage; to prosecute offences within its remit, including conducting pre-trial investigations; and to take part in protecting state secrets.³

According to the SBU, since 2014 the service has focused on countering hybrid warfare and separatism and on defending territorial integrity (see hybrid warfare).²

Oversight

The law has separate articles on the SBU’s subordination (Art. 31), control by the President (Art. 32), control of its administrative, economic and financial activities (Art. 33) and supervision of compliance with the law (Art. 34).⁴

According to the Agency for Legislative Initiatives, parliamentary oversight is exercised mainly by the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security, Defence and Intelligence; there are plans for a separate committee for special-purpose bodies.⁵

Reform

According to the SBU, reform of the service began in 2019. Draft law No. 3196-d of 26 October 2020 was adopted by the Verkhovna Rada at first reading on 28 January 2021; it provided, among other things, for demilitarising the service, limiting its investigative functions and strengthening counterintelligence.^1,2,5

The Research Service of the Verkhovna Rada considers that the reform is progressing slowly and, under martial law, has stalled after the first reading; it calls for stronger parliamentary and public oversight. The Agency for Legislative Initiatives writes that a new law on the SBU is planned.^1,5