Zelenskiy Names Top Military Spy to Replace Key Aide Yermak (1)

Jan. 2, 2026, 4:42 PM UTC

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy asked Ukraine’s head of military intelligence to become his chief of staff, filling one of the country’s most influential positions after Andriy Yermak stepped down amid a corruption scandal.

Zelenskiy offered the post of head of the presidential office to Kyrylo Budanov, the Ukrainian leader said Friday on Telegram. The general, who’s led the military intelligence service since 2020 and become one of the nation’s most popular wartime figures, said on Telegram that he’d agreed to take the role.

The appointment marks a political turning point for Ukraine after a difficult period, both on and away ...

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