Key facts
- Vadym Chenchyk has been appointed the new acting head of Ukraine's State Border Guard Service.
- This is the second time the acting chief has been replaced in 2026.
- Chenchyk previously served as deputy head of the agency from 2019 to 2026.
- His predecessor, Valerii Vavryniuk, was appointed in January 2026.
- The previous chief, Serhii Deineko, was dismissed amid an investigation.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has appointed Vadym Chenchyk as the new acting head of the State Border Guard Service, according to decrees published on the Presidential Office's website on August 31, 2026. This marks the second time this year that Zelensky has replaced the acting chief of the agency without appointing a permanent successor.
Chenchyk, who previously served as deputy head of the State Border Guard Service from 2019 to 2026, takes over from Valerii Vavryniuk. Vavryniuk had held the acting chief position since his appointment on January 4, 2026. Prior to his role as deputy head, Chenchyk was the acting director of the agency's Operational Activities Department, responsible for combating offenses at the state border, including smuggling, illegal migration, and terrorism.
Vavryniuk had replaced Serhii Deineko, who had led the State Border Guard Service since 2019. Deineko was dismissed after coming under investigation.
Separately, Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) reported that in 2023, border guards received at least 204,000 euros (nearly $237,000) for facilitating the smuggling of cigarettes through the border between Ukraine and the European Union. Smugglers reportedly used vehicles with fake diplomatic license plates, allowing them to cross borders without inspections. Andriy Demchenko, a spokesperson for the border service, was dismissed from military service by order dated February 2, with the exact reason not specified.