Budanov forms a team in the Office of the President: who will remain among the deputies
14 January 10:12
A new team is gradually being formed in the Office of the President, and no drastic personnel decisions are expected in the near future.
This is stated in the RBC-Ukraine article “Zelensky’s reboot: why the Rada blocked appointments to the Cabinet and what is happening in the OP, “ reports "Komersant Ukrainian".
According to RBC-Ukraine, the current head of the Office of the President, Iryna Mudra, will retain her position and even receive several additional areas of responsibility.
As for the other deputies, the newly appointed head of the Presidential Office, Kirill Budanov, plans to analyze their activities in detail later.
Who is guaranteed to remain
According to the publication’s sources, the following will remain unchanged:
- First Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Serhiy Kyslytsya, who is responsible for peace negotiations;
- Pavlo Palisa, who is responsible for military affairs.
It is also unlikely that anything will change for:
- Ihor Brusyl, who is responsible for protocol;
- Olena Kovalskaya, who oversees humanitarian affairs and has stable working contacts with the government and parliament.
Several key areas are in question
The new head of the OP will likely analyze the work of:
- Iryna Vereshchuk, who is responsible for internally displaced persons, prisoners of war, and other social issues;
- Viktor Mykyta, who oversees regional policy. According to sources, their working relationship has been difficult so far.
The future of Ihor Zhovkva, who is responsible for foreign policy, also remains uncertain. According to sources, he may eventually move to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Tatarov remains, but with nuances
The most ambiguous figure in the Office of the President remains Deputy Head of the OP Oleg Tatarov, who oversees law enforcement. According to sources, he will retain his position, but Budanov will still have to build a working relationship with him.
Personnel changes in the government
In early 2026, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy began a large-scale overhaul of the state leadership. One of the key personnel changes was the appointment of Kyrylo Budanov as head of the Office of the President, replacing Andriy Yermak.
At the same time, Oleg Ivashchenko, who previously headed the Foreign Intelligence Service, became the new head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense.
On January 5, the head of state met with Vasyl Malyuk, who resigned as head of the Security Service of Ukraine but will remain in the system to carry out so-called “world-class asymmetric special operations.” The very next day, Zelensky appointed Yevhen Khmara as acting head of the Security Service of Ukraine.
The leadership of the State Border Service was also updated, with Valery Vavrynyuk becoming acting head. In addition, the president carried out personnel rotations in a number of regional military administrations.
Zelensky explained these decisions by the need to prepare the state for any developments in the war. According to him, Ukraine is approaching a diplomatic outcome, but must also be prepared for a scenario in which Russia blocks the negotiation process.
The president also noted that after the government reshuffle, a thorough overhaul of the defense sector and the Armed Forces is planned, but first it is necessary to ensure the coordinated and effective work of all state institutions.
