Volodimir Zelensky has already chosen his new ‘right-hand man’. It is about Kyrylo Budanov, until now head of Ukrainian Military Intelligencewho will become the new head of the Office of the President. Budanov relieves due to a recent energy scandal.
The nine head of the Presidential Office has been a key figure of the Ukrainian ‘apparatus’ in the last five yearsalready under the mandate of Volodimir Zelenski, although with a lower media profile than Yermak. Not in vain, Kyrylo Budanov was elected head of Defense Intelligence in August 2020, almost two years before the start of the Russian invasion.
Born in 1986 in kyiv, Kyrylo Budanov rose through the ranks in his military career until he was appointed major general in 2022, already in the context of war. In the following months he would exercise a leading role in negotiations with Russia for the exchange of prisoners.
His name did not stop ringing some time later until stand at the doors of the Ministry of Defensea promotion that did not occur. Yes, the ‘signaling’ took place by Moscow, which included him on its particular ‘black list’accusing him of being the instigator of the blowing up of the Crimean bridge.
This Friday, Zelensky announced his future appointment, highlighting Budanov’s “special experience” in security, diplomacy and the field of Defensematters on which the new head of the Presidential Office wanted to anticipate that the new head of the Presidential Office will especially focus.
“Ukraine needs greater attention to security, to the development of the Ukrainian Defense and Security Forces, as well as to the diplomatic channel of negotiations,” Zelensky said in his announcement, where he made it clear that the Office of the President “will be primarily responsible for the fulfillment of these tasks.”
As soon as Andriy Yermak’s replacement was announced, Budanov has already received the first order, the setting new security and development strategies of the Ukrainian Statea challenge still in the making.
For whoever will be Zelensky’s new right-hand man, the position is “an honor and a responsibility at a historic moment for Ukraine.” “I continue my service to Ukraine. I consider the position of head of the president’s office as a great responsibility to the country,” he highlighted on Telegram.
“We must continue to do our part: defeat the enemy, defend Ukraine and work for a just peace. Let us continue to fight together for a free and secure future for Ukraine!” Budanov said.
Budanov takes over from Andriy Yermak, who was a key advisor to Zelensky and a fundamental part of Ukraine’s negotiating team since the beginning of the war. for alleged bribery in the state nuclear energy company Energoatom.
