Ukraine's intel chief responds to rumours about his resignation

The head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence, Kyrylo Budanov, has dismissed rumours about his possible dismissal as another "attempt to destabilize." 

He assured that his working relationship with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy remains normal.

This week, media reports citing unnamed sources claimed that the president is planning to replace the intelligence chief, Caliber.Az reports citing BBC Ukraine.

Budanov was appointed to this position in August 2020 and is one of the few heads of Ukraine’s security agencies to have held his post for such a long time.

However, throughout this year, Ukrainian media have repeatedly reported that Zelensky is considering replacing Budanov. The president has publicly denied this information.

This week, the NV news outlet reported that the President’s Office is allegedly planning Budanov's dismissal, with the decision being "lobbied" by Andriy Yermak, the head of the Presidential Office.

"Efforts to dismiss Budanov may intensify in December. According to a source, this process is mainly being lobbied by Andriy Yermak and Oleksandr Poklad, the deputy head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). The latter is reportedly being considered for the role of intelligence chief," the outlet claimed. According to the publication, certain statements by Budanov were said to have harmed Ukraine.

"A recurring rumour, far from the first," Budanov told the BBC Ukraine in response to the claims.

Previously, the SBU also dismissed rumours that its deputy head could take over the intelligence agency, calling such reports unfounded.

"Unfortunately, these narratives were at some point spread in the Ukrainian information space and heavily amplified by Russian propaganda. But this is not surprising — spreading rumours and disinformation is a method used to destabilize both the country and the team," Budanov said.

When asked about his relationship with the President’s Office, Budanov assured that it remains strictly professional: "I brief the president on the situation almost daily."

According to Budanov, the war continues, the intelligence agency faces numerous tasks, and any threats posed by the Russian regime remain hypothetically possible.

Commenting on recent threats by Vladimir Putin about deploying new missiles against Ukrainians, Budanov told BBC Ukraine that these are merely attempts to obstruct any efforts to end the war.

Budanov noted that Russia has already used almost all types of weapons at its disposal — from submarines to strategic aviation. "But I reiterate: the Russians have not shown anything fundamentally new," he said regarding Russia’s latest missile.

By Tamilla Hasanova