In 2025, Yermak tried to remove Budanov from the post of head of the Main Intelligence Directorate five times – sources

Former head of the President's Office Andriy Yermak wanted to displace Kyrylo Budanov, who was appointed head of the Presidential Office on January 2, from the post of head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense. This was reported in the comments for disassembly LIGA.net Two sources in the intelligence community reported.

They believe that there is a sophisticated political irony in Budanov's appointment as the head of the Presidential Office.

According to sources, throughout 2025, Yermak made considerable efforts to remove him from the post of Chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate. They can count at least five such attempts.

One of the interlocutors noted that the attempts came to nothing because each time Budanov demonstrated high efficiency in solving complex tasks on the battlefield.

"Very often, when the president asks at the General Staff if Kyrylo Oleksiyovych can do something, the answer is: 'Of course, Mr. Supreme Commander-in-Chief.' And then we go and do it," one of the intelligence officers explained.

Among the reasons for the former head of the Presidential Office's animosity towards Budanov, intelligence sources cite three key ones:

→ Budanov often provided the president with information that did not align with the data and forecasts of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Oleksandr Syrskyi, and also had the privilege of communicating directly with Zelenskyy, without having to coordinate his information with Yermak;

→ Yermak's team's desire to monopolize the Deep Strike direction on the territory of Russia. The Main Intelligence Directorate, however, maintained autonomy in the matter of how and with what to strike;

→ established systems for procuring various types of weapons on the global arms market, which is a very closed and highly specific environment.

• November 28, 2025, NABU conducted searches under the then-head of the Presidential Office, Yermak. According to FT sources, this is related to the "Midas" case regarding corruption in the energy sector.
• In the evening of the same day, Yermak wrote a statement regarding his resignation from the post of Head of the Presidential Office, which was accepted by the President.
• On January 2, 2026, Zelenskyy signed a decree regarding Budanov's appointment as head of the Presidential Office.