Zelensky Appoints Kyrylo Budanov as Head of the Office of the President

Budanov has long been a public figure, and the key stages of his career are well known. In two days, he will turn 40. He was born in Kyiv and received his military education at the Odesa Institute of the Ground Forces—the same institution attended by former commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces Valerii Zaluzhnyi.

Budanov rose to prominence after a HUR operation in Crimea in 2016. According to journalists’ reports, he led the group and, by unofficial accounts, was wounded. The operation prompted a sharp reaction from the United States, as it had not been coordinated with Washington. As a result, then-president Petro Poroshenko had a difficult conversation with US vice-president Joe Biden. The personnel consequences, however, did not affect Budanov, who was carrying out orders, but Valerii Kondratiuk, the head of HUR at the time, who was dismissed.

Since 2016, Budanov has maintained close contacts with the CIA and took part in the work of a special unit trained by American instructors. The New York Times reported that military intelligence during that period was effectively overseen by the United States, and that Budanov himself underwent rehabilitation in American hospitals after sustaining injuries in Ukraine.

In the spring of 2019, an assassination attempt was carried out against Budanov in Kyiv—a mine was planted under his car. The attempt failed, and the suspects were detained. Investigators said they had acted on orders from Russian intelligence services, which were seeking revenge for the Crimean raid.

In the summer of 2020, Budanov was appointed head of HUR and has held the post ever since. Under his leadership, military intelligence largely ceased to operate in the shadows: a series of high-profile operations inside Russia, as well as in occupied regions of Ukraine, were attributed to the agency.

Budanov ranks among the country’s most recognizable military figures, and his popularity has begun to register in opinion polls. Many recent surveys place him among the top three potential frontrunners—alongside Zelensky and Zaluzhnyi.

At the same time, Budanov had for a long period been locked in conflict with Andriy Yermak, the head of the presidential office, who had sought his dismissal. It is widely believed that Budanov’s international connections—above all in the United States—helped him retain his position as head of HUR.

The outcome has been paradoxical: Yermak himself was dismissed, and Budanov has now taken his place.