Lt. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov has been appointed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as his new chief of staff on Friday. Prior to this, Budanov served as the head of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Directorate (GUR). He is known for his high-profile operations against Russia.
Budanov’s journey from intelligence chief to presidential chief of staff makes him central to Ukraine’s war strategy, combining battlefield expertise with political influence at a critical time.
He replaces Andrii Yermak, Zelensky’s longtime aide, who resigned in November following an anti-corruption raid at his apartment amid an investigation into alleged graft in Ukraine’s energy sector.
Who is Kyrylo Budanov?
Kyrylo Budanov was born on 4 January 1986. He holds the rank of lieutenant general. He served as the head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense from August 2020 and has also been deputy director of a department in the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine.
Kyrylo Budanov Education
Kyrylo Budanov was graduated from the Odesa Institute of the Ground Forces in 2007, which laid the foundation for his career in military intelligence and leadership.
Kyrylo Budanov Early Military Career
After graduation, Kyrylo Budanov joined the special forces of the Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR) under the Ministry of Defence. He is one of Ukraine’s most daring military intelligence officers.
Kyrylo Budanov Role in the Russo-Ukrainian War
Kyrylo Budanov participated actively in the 2014 war in Donbas, where he injured many times. He also took part in multiple classified special operations. A 2024 report by The New York Times highlighted his role in Unit 2245, an elite group trained by the CIA.
In 2016, as a lieutenant colonel, Budanov led a special forces raid in Russian-occupied Crimea, planting explosives at an airfield. Though ambushed by Russian commandos, his unit inflicted casualties before retreating safely. Following injuries in Donbas, Budanov received treatment at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in the U.S.
Budanov has led some of Kyiv’s most daring attacks inside Russia and occupied Ukrainian territory, including the 2022 explosion on the Russian-built Crimean Bridge. While considered a hero in Ukraine, Russia regards him as a criminal.
Kyrylo Budanov Rise in Intelligence Leadership
In 2020, Budanov became deputy director of a Foreign Intelligence Service department. On 5 August 2020, President Zelenskyy appointed him as head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR).
During the 2022 Russian invasion, he chaired the Coordinating Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, overseeing the largest prisoner exchange with Russia, which returned 215 Ukrainian defenders, including over 100 Azov Regiment fighters and commanders.
In 2023, the Lefortovo District Court in Moscow issued an arrest warrant for Budanov over the 2022 Crimean Bridge attack.
Kyrylo Budanov Current Role
President Zelenskyy awarded Kyrylo Budanov, the title of Hero of Ukraine on 8 February 2024. On 2 January 2026, he became Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine. His rise from intelligence officer to chief aide shows his battlefield experience, strategic thinking, and international prominence.
Kyrylo Budanov Public Recognition
Budanov has received widespread acclaim. At a Kyiv conference in September 2023, he received a standing ovation before his speech, with officials eager to photograph him. Zelenskyy awarded him Hero of Ukraine in 2024.
Kyrylo Budanov Assassination Attempts and Threats
Kyrylo Budanov has faced several assassination attempts. On 4 April 2019, a mine planted in his car by allegedly a Russian operative detonated prematurely.
On 2023, Ukrainian military intelligence reported more than ten assassination attempts.
Russia considers him a top target. Russian forces have twice attacked Kyiv’s military intelligence headquarters, claiming in May 2023 that Budanov was killed. His wife survived a poisoning attempt in 2023. Despite these threats, Budanov continues his work undeterred.
On 1 February 2024, he warned that attacks on Russian infrastructure would likely increase. Hours later, GUR reported sinking a Russian warship in Crimea, showcasing his continued operational impact.
