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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has appointed military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov as the new head of the Presidential Office, just over a month after his previous aide resigned amid a corruption scandal.
Who is Kyriak Budanov?
Kyriak Budanov, a figure known for his secrecy and often called in Ukrainian media “the man without a smile,” has gone from relative anonymity to one of Ukraine’s most prominent security officials.
Born in Kiev, Budanov studied at a military academy in Odessa and in 2014 was sent to fight Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine.
The public knew him little when he was appointed head of the Military Intelligence Agency of Ukraine (GUR) in August 2020.
He participated in a commando raid in Russian-annexed Crimea in 2016, where Russian agents were killed.
Budanov said he was wounded three times during his service, including a bullet wound near his heart and a wound to his elbow that left a noticeable stiffness in his right arm.
The GUR office has announced that Budanov has survived more than 10 assassination attempts, including the explosion of his car in Kiev in 2019, an attack attributed to Russian security services.
He became one of Ukraine's youngest generals at the age of 35.
Before the Russian invasion in February 2022, Budanov publicly warned of a massive attack, while many Western officials doubted Moscow's intentions.
He has been described as an expert in asymmetric warfare, although some predictions, including the entry of Ukrainian troops into Crimea in 2023, did not come true.
Budanov is also linked to several operations inside Russia, including the drone attack on a refinery in St. Petersburg in January 2024, and according to Ukrainian authorities, he is linked to the explosion at the Crimean Bridge in 2022.
These operations have made him popular among Ukrainians, even receiving a standing ovation at an international conference in Kiev in September 2023 and the title of "Hero of Ukraine" from Zelenskyy in 2024.
In Russia, Budanov is considered one of the main fugitives, with numerous claims of his assassination from Moscow, including attacks on the headquarters of Ukrainian military intelligence in 2023.
His wife survived poisoning in the same year.
Despite the threats, Budanov has remained steadfast. On February 1, 2024, he warned of increased attacks on Russian infrastructure, and a few hours later GUR reported that a Russian warship had been sunk in Crimea.
Now, placed in one of the most powerful roles in the Ukrainian government, Budanov will have direct access to President Zelenskyy and a central role in shaping security and diplomatic policy as the war enters a crucial phase.
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