Zelenskyy said he had offered the position of defence minister to Mykhailo Fedorov, a longtime ally who has overseen the modernisation of administrative services as digital transformation minister.<\/p>\n
On Saturday Zelenskyy said he would nominate defence minister Denys Shmyhal to become energy minister, and that he would replace the heads of five regions across the country. Shmyhal\u2019s nomination will have to be approved by the parliament.<\/p>\n
The reshuffle comes as Ukrainian negotiators press for security guarantees from western allies, amid US President Donald Trump\u2019s push to end the war with Russia.<\/p>\n
Budanov, who is among the few Ukrainian officials to keep an open line with Moscow through the war, including on prisoner exchanges, could be a valuable asset as peace talks continue. <\/p>\n
Budanov said it was \u201can honour and a responsibility to focus on the critically important issues of our state\u2019s strategic security at this historic time for Ukraine\u201d. <\/p>\n
Fedorov, who has also served as first deputy prime minister, has played a central role in shaping Ukraine\u2019s high-tech response to Russia\u2019s full-scale invasion, particularly its so-called \u201cdrone line\u201d \u2014 a defensive line of drones meant to cause maximum damage against Moscow\u2019s invading forces. <\/p>\n
\u201cMykhailo is deeply involved in the issues related to the \u2018drone line\u2019 and works very effectively on digitalising public services and processes,\u201d Zelenskyy said in his evening address on Friday.<\/p>\n
\u201cTogether with all our military, the army command, national weapons producers and Ukraine\u2019s partners, we must implement defence-sector changes that will be of help.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ukraine\u2019s parliament must approve Zelenskyy\u2019s nomination of Fedorov as defence minister.<\/p>\n
The president appointed Oleh Ivashchenko, head of the foreign intelligence service, as the new boss of the HUR.<\/p>\n
He also moved Serhii Deineko, head of the state border guard service, to the ministry of internal affairs.<\/p>\n
Zelenskyy said that \u201cin the near future\u201d interior minister Ihor Klymenko \u201cwill propose candidates\u201d to replace Deineko.<\/p>\n
He added that outgoing defence minister Denys Shmyhal would be reassigned to a different position.<\/p>\n
People familiar with Budanov\u2019s appointment said Zelenskyy had pressed him to accept the position over the course of the past month and that the intelligence chief had been hesitant at first. <\/p>\n
The 39-year-old\u2019s profile has been boosted by slick public relations on social media and the HUR\u2019s high-stakes operations that have given him cult-like popularity. <\/p>\n
Polls have regularly named Budanov as one of Ukraine\u2019s most popular political figures, leading to speculation that he could be one of the main opponents of Zelenskyy in future elections. <\/p>\n
But the head of the presidential office \u2014 a crucial role in Ukraine\u2019s opaque politics, despite technically being an administrative post \u2014 is traditionally a lightning rod for criticism. <\/p>\n
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