Oleg Ivashchenko will head the GUR instead of Budanov: what we know about him
2 January 19:03
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Friday, January 2, that the leadership of the Defense Ministry’s Main Intelligence Directorate had been replaced. Oleh Ivashchenko will become the new head of the Main Intelligence Directorate.
The head of state wrote about this in Telegram, emphasizing that the newly appointed head will continue to perform tasks to contain and limit Russia’s military potential, reports "Komersant Ukrainian".
“From today Oleg Ivashchenko will continue to serve our state and perform tasks to limit Russian military potential at the position of military intelligence of Ukraine,” Zelensky said.
Who is Oleg Ivashchenko
Oleg Ivanovich Ivashchenko is a lieutenant general, professional cadre military and intelligence officer. He was born on September 9, 1969.
He has a multi-level military and managerial education: he graduated from the Kiev Higher Combined Arms Command School, the National Defense Academy of Ukraine, the University of Economics and Law, as well as the Kiev-Mohyla Business School.
Experience in intelligence and the General Staff
Ivashchenko’s career is closely connected exactly with military intelligence. In 2017-2019, he was the first deputy chief of the GUR and at the same time deputy chief of the General Staff of the AFU on intelligence issues.
Since 2021, he has also served as Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which shows his involvement in strategic planning at the highest level.
War and state honors
After the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ivashchenko participated in combat operations. In March 2022, he was awarded the Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky III degree. He also holds the Order of Daniel of Halytsky.
Previous appointments and political weight
In March 2024, the President appointed Oleh Ivashchenko as the Chairman of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine.
Ivashchenko is a member of the Stavka of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief and the National Security and Defense Council.
We shall remind you that today, January 2, Volodymyr Zelensky offered the head of the GUR Kirill Budanov to head the Office of the President of Ukraine.
The President emphasized that Budanov has special experience in these areas and sufficient strength to achieve results.
Later, Budanov said that he had accepted Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s offer to head the Presidential Office. He noted that he considered the post of the head of the Presidential Office as another frontier of responsibility to the country.
