(VOVworld) – The Ukrainian Parliament has appointed Vasyl Hrytsak head of Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU). At a parliamentary session on Thursday, 340 of 388 Ukrainian deputies voted for Hrytsak, who was nominated by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.

New Ukrainian Security Chief Vasyl Hrytsak (Photo: Kiev Post)

The 48-year-old senior security officer was the SBU deputy head and chief of military operations against opposition forces in eastern Ukraine. His predecessor, Valentyn Nalyvaychenko, was dismissed from office in June.