Kiev, Jan 03, 2026 (Agencies) – Ukraine’s President Vladimir Zelensky has appointed the country’s military intelligence chief, Kirill Budanov, as his new chief of staff, filling a key post that had remained vacant since the resignation of Andrey Yermak amid a major corruption scandal.
Zelensky announced the decision on Friday, saying he held a meeting with Budanov in Kiev and offered him the position in view of Ukraine’s current security and diplomatic challenges. He said the country required greater focus on national security, development of the armed forces, and progress on the diplomatic track, including negotiations.
Explaining his choice, Zelensky said the 39-year-old intelligence chief possessed specialized experience in security and defense matters and had the strength to deliver concrete results in a difficult period.
Budanov later confirmed on Telegram that he had accepted the appointment, calling it both an honor and a responsibility. He said he would work to strengthen Ukraine’s strategic security and pursue what he described as a just peace with Russia.
The post of head of the presidential office became vacant after Andrey Yermak stepped down in late November following a corruption scandal. Yermak, considered one of the most influential figures in Ukrainian politics, resigned after anti-graft agencies raided his residence. The scandal followed revelations of an alleged $100 million kickback scheme in the energy sector involving senior officials and Zelensky’s longtime associate Timur Mindich at state nuclear operator Energoatom.
Budanov, a former special forces officer, has led Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate since August 2020. In December 2023, a Moscow court ordered his arrest on terrorism charges, accusing him of orchestrating multiple attacks inside Russia. At the time, Budanov openly acknowledged targeting Russian forces, drawing international attention for his remarks.
Although initially viewed as a hardliner during the early stages of the conflict with Russia, Budanov later adopted a more pragmatic tone. He acknowledged last year that Ukraine would struggle to reverse the situation on the battlefield and recently stated that negotiations with Moscow were inevitable.
Budanov remains one of the most popular figures in Ukraine’s political landscape. According to a late December survey by pollster SOCIS, he would defeat Zelensky in a hypothetical presidential election, while former army chief Valery Zaluzhny, now Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, would secure an even larger margin of victory.