Kyrylo Budanov became the new head of the Office of the President

Budanov headed the President’s Office / photo UNIANHead of the Main Directorate of Intelligence Kyrylo Budanov became the new head of the Office of the President of Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskyi wrote about this in Telegram.

Yes, he said that at the meeting with Budanov, he offered him to head the Office of the President.

“Ukraine now needs more focus on security issues, the development of the Defense and Security Forces of Ukraine, as well as on the diplomatic track in the negotiations, and the Office of the President will serve primarily to fulfill such tasks of our state,” Zelenskyi said.

He added that Budanov has special experience in these areas and sufficient strength to achieve results.

Judging by the subsequent message, Kyrylo Budanov agreed to the offer.

“I also instructed the new head of the President’s Office in cooperation with the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine and other necessary leaders and institutions to update and present for approval the strategic foundations of the defense and development of our state and further steps,” Zelenskyy wrote.

Office of the President – personnel changesAs UNIAN reported, on November 28, 2025, the head of the Office of the President, Andriy Yermak, resigned. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi announced this in a video message. He then promised to restart the Office of the President of Ukraine.

This was preceded by the information that NABU and SAP conducted an investigation for 15 months to uncover a huge corruption scheme in the energy sector. The operation was named “Midas”.

It was about the investigation of a large-scale corruption scheme affecting strategic state enterprises, in particular JSC NAEK Energoatom.

The organization of this scheme includes businessman Timur Mindich (pseudonym “Carlson”), Minister of Justice and former Minister of Energy Herman Galushchenko (pseudonym “Professor”), Executive Director of Physical Protection and Security JSC NAEK “Energoatom” Dmytro Basov (“Tenor”), former adviser to former Minister of Energy Galushchenko Ihor Myronyuk (“Rocket”) and other persons.

On November 28, NABU and SAP conducted procedural actions at Yermak’s residence. On the same day, decree No. 868/2025 on the dismissal of Yermak from the post of head of the Office of the President of Ukraine appeared on the official website of the president.

Kyrylo Budanov – what is known about himPrior to his appointment to the position of head of the OP, Kyrylo Budanov was the head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUD) of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine – since August 2020. In 2023, he was awarded the rank of lieutenant general. The youngest head of military intelligence in the history of Ukraine.

Military career

In 2007, Budanov graduated from the Odessa Institute of Ground Forces (now the Military Academy in Odessa) with honors. After graduation, he began his service in the special units of the GUR of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. Since 2014, he has participated in combat operations in Donbas as part of the intelligence special forces. He received several serious wounds (including in the neck, back; one fragment remained under the heart and cannot be removed). Participated in numerous secret operations. In August 2016, as a lieutenant colonel, he led a special forces raid in Crimea (Armyanska/Dzhankoya region) to sabotage Russian facilities – the operation ended in a combat clash. In 2018-2020, the activity is partially classified; held positions in the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine.

On August 5, 2020, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed 34-year-old Budanov as the head of the GUR.

Activities in the position of the head of the GUR

Budanov is known for bold public statements and predictions about the war. In the fall of 2021, he warned about Russia’s preparations for a full-scale invasion.

Under his leadership, the GUR coordinated special operations (including strikes on the territory of the Russian Federation and in Crimea), prisoner exchanges (including the largest in 2022 with the participation of Azov fighters), as well as cyber and sabotage activities. According to The New York Times, Budanov was part of an elite GUR unit (“Detachment 2245”), prepared with the support of the CIA for operations to capture Russian equipment.

In 2022-2023, he was mentioned as a possible candidate for the position of Minister of Defense instead of Oleksiy Reznikov, but the appointment did not take place.

Personal life

He is married to Marianna Budanova (born in 1993), a psychologist by education. In November 2023, she was poisoned with heavy metals (probably an attempt to assassinate Budanov through his wife).

Attempts were made against Budanov several times: in 2019, his car was blown up in Kyiv; Russia accuses him of organizing terrorist attacks. In the aggressor state, Budanov was included in the list of terrorists and extremists (2024), and was also accused in absentia of “organizing terrorist attacks” (including on the Crimean bridge).

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