(KYIV, UKRAINE) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has offered intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov the post of head of the presidential office, signalling a renewed focus on security, defence and diplomacy as the war with Russia continues into the new year.
Budanov, 39, has led Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, known as the HUR, since 2020 and is widely recognised in Ukraine for the agency’s role in operations against Russian forces, particularly in the Black Sea. His appointment is seen as part of a broader effort by Zelenskyy to sharpen decision making at the centre of government at a time of sustained military pressure and complex diplomatic challenges.
In a statement released on Friday, Zelenskyy said Ukraine now requires greater concentration on security issues, the development of its defence and security forces and the diplomatic track in negotiations. He added that the presidential office should primarily serve these tasks. Budanov would replace Andriy Yermak, who stepped down at the end of 2025 following an investigation by Ukraine’s National Anti Corruption Bureau into the state owned nuclear energy sector. Yermak had been one of the most influential figures within the president’s inner circle.
The move comes as Russian drone and missile strikes continue to target Ukrainian cities and frontline areas. Overnight attacks sparked fires in the city of Zaporizhzhia, where emergency services worked through the night to contain blazes caused by strikes on civilian infrastructure and residential buildings. Residents described explosions around midnight that forced families to shelter in basements as fires broke out nearby.
Analysts say the intensity of Russian air attacks has increased over the past year, driven in part by expanded drone production. Some recent strikes have involved hundreds of drones launched in coordinated waves. Despite this escalation, Ukrainian officials and independent observers say Russia’s territorial gains remain limited.
According to the Office of the Ukrainian Prosecutor General, nearly 3,000 civilians were killed in Russian attacks over the past year. At the same time, analysts estimate that Russian forces occupied less than one percent of Ukrainian territory during the same period, amounting to only a few square kilometres and reflecting what many describe as a battlefield stalemate in eastern Ukraine.
Diplomatic efforts have also shown little progress. Despite months of talks led by the United States and its partners, the war continues with no clear breakthrough. Commentators note that there has been little incentive for the Russian dictator, Vladimir Putin, to alter his course, while negotiations have so far failed to produce concrete results. Attention has increasingly turned to Washington and the potential influence of former US President Donald Trump on future diplomatic initiatives, though analysts remain cautious about expectations.
Meanwhile, security concerns are growing beyond Ukraine’s borders. Countries around the Baltic Sea have been placed on heightened alert following Finland’s seizure of a cargo ship suspected of damaging an undersea telecommunications cable between Finland and Estonia. Finnish authorities are investigating the case as possible aggravated criminal damage and interference with critical infrastructure.
European Union officials say the incident has raised fresh concerns about hybrid threats and the activities of Russia’s so called shadow fleet, which is suspected of helping Moscow evade sanctions. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas praised Finland’s swift response and said there has been a clear pattern of disruption in the Baltic Sea region since the start of Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine.
The European Union has said it will strengthen the protection of critical infrastructure by investing in new cables, improving surveillance and boosting repair capacity. Additional sanctions targeting vessels linked to sanctions evasion are also under consideration, as investigations continue into whether the seized ship was carrying sanctioned Russian goods.