Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed decrees reshaping the country’s top leadership, appointing Kyrylo Budanov as head of the Office of the President and naming Oleh Ivashchenko as the new chief of Defence Intelligence. The decisions were formalized on 2 January through presidential decrees.

According to the official documents, Budanov takes over the role of head of the President’s Office, while Ivashchenko is appointed to lead Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence. With this move, Budanov replaces Andrii Yermak, who had held the influential chief of staff position.

Zelensky explained that the changes are driven by the need to sharpen Ukraine’s focus on security, defence capabilities and diplomacy at a critical moment in the war. In a statement published on social media, he said the Office of the President must concentrate primarily on strengthening the country’s defence and security forces, as well as advancing negotiations aimed at ending the conflict with Russia.

The president stressed that Budanov brings specialized experience in security and intelligence matters and has the capacity to deliver results. He added that the new head of the President’s Office has been tasked with working closely with the secretary of the National Security and Defence Council and other key institutions to update Ukraine’s strategic defence framework and outline the next steps in the country’s development.

The appointments come amid renewed diplomatic activity, with Zelensky recently stating that a 20-point peace plan to end the war is about 90 percent complete. The leadership reshuffle is seen as part of broader efforts to align Ukraine’s political, military and diplomatic tracks.

Budanov, 39, has led Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence since August 2020. A career military intelligence officer, he rose through the ranks after Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and became one of the most visible figures in Ukraine’s security establishment following the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022. He is widely credited with overseeing a number of high-risk intelligence and military operations against Russian forces and has frequently briefed the public on security threats and Moscow’s long-term intentions.

Commenting on his new role, Budanov said he had accepted Zelensky’s proposal and described the appointment as both an honour and a serious responsibility. He noted that he would focus on issues of strategic security at what he called a historic moment for Ukraine.

At the same time, Zelensky confirmed that Oleh Ivashchenko, who has been serving as head of Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service, will succeed Budanov as chief of the Main Directorate of Intelligence, ensuring continuity at the helm of the country’s military intelligence agency.