Zelenskyy Names Military Intelligence Chief Kyrylo Budanov As New Chief Of Staff Amid Diplomatic Push

KYIV — President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday appointed Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence service (GUR), as his new chief of staff. The move, announced as international diplomacy intensifies to try to end Russia’s nearly four-year invasion, underscores a sharper presidential emphasis on security, defense development and peace negotiations.

Emergency services personnel work to extinguish a fire following a Russian missile attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrii Marienko)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Why The Change

Zelenskyy said the reshuffle reflects a need to concentrate the presidential office on strategic security issues, the modernization of Ukraine’s defense and security forces, and progress in peace talks. The president dismissed his previous chief of staff, Andrii Yermak, after anti-corruption investigators opened probes into alleged graft in the energy sector.

In this photo, provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, emergency services personnel work to extinguish a fire following a Russian missile attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Budanov’s Background And Role

Budanov, 39, has led the Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR) since 2020 and is one of Ukraine’s most visible wartime figures. A career intelligence officer, he advanced through the defense establishment after Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 and participated in special operations and intelligence missions during the conflict with Moscow-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. He was reportedly wounded during one such operation.

Emergency services personnel work to extinguish a fire following a Russian missile attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026.(AP Photo/Andrii Marienko)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Budanov has been a prominent public face for Kyiv’s intelligence efforts, giving interviews and briefings that combine strategic signaling with pressure on Moscow. Under his leadership, officials say the GUR expanded its operational reach, coordinating intelligence, sabotage and special operations intended to degrade Russian military capabilities far beyond the immediate front lines.

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, emergency services personnel work to extinguish a fire following a Russian missile attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Political And Diplomatic Implications

Placing an intelligence chief at the center of the presidential office represents an unusual shift, moving a career intelligence operator into a key political and diplomatic coordination role. Zelenskyy framed the appointment as part of a wider effort to sharpen focus on security and diplomacy, saying, "Kyrylo has specialized experience in these areas and sufficient strength to achieve results." He named Foreign Intelligence Service head Oleh Ivashchenko to succeed Budanov as head of the GUR.

Budanov wrote on Telegram that the new post is "both an honor and a responsibility — at a historic time for Ukraine — to focus on the critically important issues of the state’s strategic security."

Recent Violence And Ongoing Diplomacy

Separately, Russian authorities said the death toll rose to 27 after what they described as a Ukrainian drone strike on a cafe and hotel in the Russian-occupied village of Khorly in Kherson region; Kyiv strongly denied targeting civilians. Ukraine’s General Staff spokesman Dmytro Lykhovii told public broadcaster Suspilne that Ukrainian forces "adhere to the norms of international humanitarian law" and strike only lawful military targets. The Associated Press could not independently verify claims about the incident.

Fighting and strikes continued elsewhere: Ukrainian officials said Russia launched 116 long-range drones over Ukraine, with 86 intercepted and 27 reaching targets; regional officials reported missile strikes and drone attacks in Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia and other areas, and Russian regions near the border also reported damage from cross-border strikes.

Meanwhile, international diplomacy is active. U.S. envoys and advisers — including several private and political figures — and European counterparts said they held talks with Ukrainian and allied national security advisers to advance steps toward a European peace process. Moscow has said it may harden its negotiating stance after reports of an alleged attack on a Russian presidential residence; Kyiv denied responsibility and called such claims a potential attempt to derail talks.

What To Watch

• How Budanov balances security priorities with diplomatic engagement from his new role.
• Whether the personnel change accelerates or alters Ukraine’s negotiating posture in international talks.
• Independent verification and investigation of recent reported civilian casualties in occupied areas.

Budanov’s appointment places a seasoned intelligence operator at the heart of Kyiv’s political and diplomatic machinery at a critical moment in the war and in negotiations. Observers say his practical experience with intelligence and contacts — including limited backchannels on issues such as prisoner exchanges — could reshape the dynamics of future talks.