Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service: A Historical Overview from its First Unit to the Modern Agency.

Foreign Intelligence Day in Ukraine

According to Novyny.live: Ukraine marks Foreign Intelligence Day annually on January 24th. This professional holiday was established by a decree from the fifth president, Petro Poroshenko, on November 22, 2018. It honors the work of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine, an agency formed in February 2024 from the merger of the Main Directorate of Intelligence and the Radioelectronic Intelligence Directorate. The modern intelligence apparatus plays a critical role in safeguarding Ukraine's sovereignty amidst ongoing conflict.

The History of Ukrainian Foreign Intelligence

The origins of Ukrainian foreign intelligence trace back to January 24, 1919, with the creation of its first dedicated unit. Following Ukraine's independence, the Main Intelligence Directorate was established in 1991. A major organizational development came with the adoption of the Law of Ukraine 'On Intelligence Agencies of Ukraine' in March 2001. The Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine was then created as a separate entity on October 14, 2004. Its inaugural head was Oleh Synianskyi, who led the service until April 2005.

Over the subsequent years, the Foreign Intelligence Service was led by several directors, including:

• Mykola Malomuzh (April 2005 – June 2010)
• Hryhorii Illiashov (from June 18, 2010)
• Viktor Hvozd (February 27, 2014 – June 2016)
• Oleksandr Lytvynenko (July 2021 – March 2024)

In March 2024, Oleh Ivashchenko was appointed as the new chairman, but he was dismissed on January 5, 2026.

Since 2024, the Service's emblem has featured a graphite-grey cross with a medallion and the Ukrainian trident. The agency continues to fulfill its mission of ensuring national security by collecting and analyzing foreign intelligence. The observance of Foreign Intelligence Day highlights the vital, often unseen, contributions of intelligence professionals in supporting strategic state decisions during a period of heightened geopolitical tension and security challenges.