Zelenskyy names top military spy to replace key aide Yermak

Volodymyr Verbianyi, Bloomberg News on Jan 2, 2026

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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy 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.

Zelenskyy 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 from the battlefield. Yermak, who served as Zelenskyy’s right hand for more than five years and throughout the war with Russia, resigned at the end of November after anti-corruption detectives searched his apartment.

Meanwhile, military setbacks, protracted power cuts caused by Russian airstrikes, and unpopular mobilization measures have also weighed on public morale. A peace plan offered by the U.S. demands that Kyiv agree to numerous concessions, including territorial ones.

Ukraine needs to increase its focus on security issues and the development of defense forces, as well as on the diplomatic track in negotiations, Zelenskyy said. Budanov “has specialized experience in these areas and sufficient strength to deliver results,” he added.

Widely seen in Ukraine as someone who amassed enormous power, Yermak’s departure was awkward for Zelenskyy. Facing mounting domestic and international pressure because of the corruption scandal involving some of his closest allies, Zelenskyy announced a reboot of his office.

Yermak was also among the country’s least-trusted top officials, according to opinion polls. In March, 67% of Ukrainians asked by the Kyiv-based Razumkov Centre said they distrusted him. After resigning, Yermak said he would join Ukraine’s troops fighting Russia.

Budanov’s appointment might help ease political pressure on Zelenskyy by entrusting a key role to a prominent figure among the military, a group widely respected in Ukraine. Budanov has won plaudits at home, including for his personal involvement in intelligence operations.

Oleh Ivashchenko, chief of Ukraine’s foreign spy service, will succeed Budanov at military intelligence, Zelenskyy said in a separate post on Telegram later on Friday.

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—With assistance from Aliaksandr Kudrytski.