Shortly on the afternoon of January 2, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense (HUR MoD) of Ukraine released a collage of videos shot by drones involved in the fake murder of Denis Nikitin, the founder and commander of the Russian Volunteer Corps(RDK).
"The orderers of the crime in the Russian intelligence services believed the provided video and paid Ukrainian intelligence officers for the 'order' - half a million dollars, which will significantly strengthen the combat capabilities of the HUR special forces members," Budanov's office wrote on the cable.
Yermak's surrogate
Andriy Yermak, the influential chief of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's office who led the Ukrainian negotiating team during the tense peace talks, resigned back on November 28 under pressure from the corruption scandal.
Zelensky appointed Budanov as his successor on 2 January 2026. According to the president, Ukraine needs to focus more on security issues, the development of its armed forces, and the diplomatic side of the peace talks.
"The Office of the President will primarily serve the fulfillment of these very tasks of our state. Kyrylo has specific experience in these areas and sufficient strength to achieve results," Zelensky wrote on the social network.
Thus, the place of Ukraine's second most powerful man will be taken by a successful intelligence officer, who, unlike the president and his entourage, no one associates with corruption cases.
"I continue to serve Ukraine. I see the post of the head of the President's Office as another milestone of responsibility towards the country. It is both an honor and a responsibility for me to be able to focus on critically important issues of strategic security of our state at a historic time for Ukraine," Budanov wrote on Telegram.
Background information
Ruslan Kahanets, commander of the Vidar special unit (named after Vidar) under the HUR MoD, wrote as recently as 28 November 2025 that he knew who would replace Yermak. "But I won't say, because it's a secret," Kahanec said ironically, attaching a photo of Budanov.
Budanov will be replaced at the head of military intelligence by Viktor Torkotchuk, according to Kahanec. This former sniper with the battle nickname Titan maintains "traditionally good relations with volunteer and nationalist units in other structures of the military," according to the Slovak nationalist channel ABN - news ✚.