Zelenskiy picks Ukraine spy head as chief of staff
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has appointed “Ukraine’s intelligence chief” as his top adviser, placing a popular military leader at the center of decision-making, at a time when Ukraine is trying to strengthen its defenses against Russia and its hand in U.S.-backed peace talks.
The appointment of Kyrylo Budanov, a decorated war veteran widely respected by Ukrainians, as presidential chief of staff marks a significant shift for a position traditionally occupied by civilians and focused primarily on domestic policy.
Budanov, 39, replaced widely criticized power broker Andriy Yermak, who resigned in November amid a corruption scandal that fueled public anger as Ukraine struggled for survival against Russia.
Zelenskiy hopes the appointment will help restore confidence in his leadership and state institutions at a difficult time as Russia advances on the battlefield and the United States pressures Ukraine to quickly end its nearly four-year war.
Writing on X, Zelenskiy said Ukraine “needs to focus more” on security, military and diplomacy.
“Kyrylo has specialized experience in these areas and sufficient strength to achieve results,” Zelenskiy wrote to X.
Budanov said in his statement that he accepted the offer and would focus on “the strategic security of our state.”
Later Friday, Zelenskiy said he would appoint the current head of foreign intelligence, Oleh Ivashchenko, as the new chief of military intelligence and also plans to replace the head of the border agency.
I accepted the offer of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to head the Presidential Office. I will continue to serve Ukraine. The position of Head of the Presidential Office of Ukraine is another area of responsibility in the state. Both…— Chief of Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (@ChiefDI_Ukraine) January 2, 2026
Budanov has headed the Ministry of Defense’s Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR) since 2020 and has a track record of overseeing covert and other operations against Russian forces.
He also led talks with Russia on the exchange of prisoners of war.
Budanov frequently appears in the media and is known for his measured style and often cryptic comments about suspicious Ukrainian actions in Russia.
Budanov’s predecessor, Yermak, was called Ukraine’s “gray cardinal” for his behind-the-scenes power and influence.
He resigned on November 28, hours after anti-corruption agents searched his home.
Investigators are investigating a US$100 million ($150 million) kickback scheme in the energy industry that allegedly involved Zelenskiy’s former business partner and senior officials.
Yermak, who was also Ukraine’s chief negotiator in the peace talks, was not named as a suspect.
However, members of parliament and even some from Zelenskiy’s party demanded Zelenskiy’s dismissal before his house was raided, arguing that he bore responsibility as the president’s right-hand man.
Ukrainian officials said that Russian missiles hit a multi-storey apartment building in Kharkiv in the north-east of the country on Friday, leaving the building in ruins and injuring at least 25 people.
Photos and videos posted online showed smoke rising from the area of massive destruction as emergency crews waded through rubble and large piles of construction materials.
However, the Russian Ministry of Defense said that the Ukrainian reports were not true, adding that the damage here was probably caused by the explosion of Ukrainian ammunition.
“The information regarding the alleged attack by Russian armed forces on the city of Kharkiv on January 2 is not true,” the ministry wrote on Telegram.
The ministry said the reports were intended to distract world attention from a New Year’s Eve attack on a hotel in the Russian-held part of the Kherson region.
The Russian-appointed governor of the region told the TASS news agency on Friday that the death toll in the incident had risen to 28.
