Zelensky names head of military intelligence as new chief of staff

President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday appointed the head of Ukraine's military intelligence as his new chief of staff, a move that comes as the U.S. leads a diplomatic push to end Russia’s nearly four-year-old invasion.

- By Inia Novikov

VIKTOR FRIDSHON Global Images Ukraine

GEN. KYRYLO BUDANOV, 39, is one of Ukraine's most recognizable and popular wartime figures.

In announcing the appointment of Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, Zelensky said Ukraine needs to focus on security issues, developing its defense and security forces, and peace talks — areas that are overseen by the office of the president.

Zelensky’s previous chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, resigned after anti-corruption officials began investigating alleged graft in the energy sector.

Budanov, 39, is one of the country’s most recognizable and popular wartime figures. He has led Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, known as GUR, since 2020.

A career military intelligence officer, he rose through the defense establishment after Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014. He also took part in special operations and intelligence missions linked to the fighting with Moscow-backed separatist forces in eastern Ukraine before the full-scale invasion in February 2022. He reportedly was wounded during one such operation.

Since the full-scale invasion, Budanov has become a prominent face of Kyiv’s intelligence effort, regularly appearing in interviews and briefings that mix strategic signaling with psychological pressure on Moscow. He has frequently warned of Russia’s long-term intentions toward Ukraine and the region, while portraying the war as an existential struggle for the country’s statehood.

Under Budanov, the GUR expanded its operational footprint, coordinating intelligence, sabotage and special operations aimed at degrading Russian military capabilities far beyond the front lines. Ukrainian officials have credited military intelligence with operations targeting Russian command structures, logistics hubs, energy infrastructure and naval assets, including strikes deep inside Russian territory and occupied areas.