KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has chosen Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, as his new chief of staff, a move that comes at a particularly critical moment in Russia’s nearly 4-year-old invasion.
Budanov replaces Andrii Yermak, Zelenskyy’s right-hand man who resigned in November after anti-corruption officials raided his apartment in an investigation into alleged graft in Ukraine’s energy sector. The move against heavy aid was a blow to the president who risked derailing his negotiating strategy amid a US peace effort.
What you should know about Budanov:
It rises through the ranks
Budanov headed the military intelligence agency, known by its acronym GUR, from 2020. At 39, he is one of Ukraine’s most recognizable and popular wartime figures, known for the architect of many successful operations targeting Russian military assets, as well as for his independent and enigmatic personality.
A career military intelligence officer, Budanov brings battlefield knowledge to his new position.
He rose from the defense establishment after Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014. He also took part in special operations and intelligence missions linked to fighting Moscow-backed separatist forces in eastern Ukraine and Crimea before the full-scale invasion of February 2022. He was reportedly wounded during one such operation.
To take the war into the territory held by the Russians
Since that invasion, Budanov has become a prominent face of Kiev’s intelligence effort, appearing regularly in interviews and briefings that mix strategic signaling with psychological pressure on Russia. He has warned frequently about Moscow’s long-term intentions towards Ukraine and the region, portraying the war as an existential struggle for the country’s statehood.
Under Budanov, the GUR expanded its footprint, coordinating intelligence, sabotage and special operations aimed at degrading Russia’s military capabilities far beyond the front lines.
Officials have credited the military intelligence service with operations targeting Russian command structures, logistics centers, energy infrastructure and naval assets, including strikes deep inside Russian territory and occupied areas of Ukraine.
Targeted by Russia
Budanov’s role and public status made him a target. He reportedly survived several assassination attempts by Russian security services. In November 2023, his wife, Marianna, was hospitalized in Kyiv with heavy metal poisoning.
His appointment to lead the presidential administration indicates a change in the heart of the government to prioritize foreign policy, defense and security amid intensifying diplomatic efforts to end Russia’s invasion. Zelenskyy says that a peace agreement is “90% ready” but warned that the remaining 10% – believed to include key issues such as territory – will “determine the fate of peace, the fate of Ukraine and Europe.”
Budanov served as part of the delegation that worked with the US negotiating team. He also had contact with the Russian side on issues such as the coordination of prisoner exchanges. It is not yet clear what role, if any, he will take in the peace process in his new position.
In his first comments after the appointment was announced, Budanov thanked Zelenskyy for his trust.
“I continue to serve Ukraine,” he wrote on his Telegram page. “For me, it is both an honor and a responsibility – at a historic time for Ukraine – to focus on the critically important issues of the state’s strategic security.”