Photo: Kyrylo Budanov / Telegram
The Chief of Ukraine’s Presidential Office has continued diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the war, according to The Times.
Kyrylo Budanov is reported to have said that the Kremlin has attempted to assassinate him multiple times, despite his involvement in peace-related negotiations with Moscow.
Budanov, who previously led Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR), was appointed to a senior role in the Presidential Office earlier this year and is described as one of Ukraine’s key figures involved in backchannel communications with Russia, particularly on prisoner exchanges and exploratory diplomatic contacts.
According to the report, he has survived at least ten assassination attempts. He argues that Russia’s interest in targeting him is “normal” given his role and intelligence background.
He also stated that while he believes in the negotiation process, it must deliver tangible results, and emphasized that access to intelligence and informal channels inside Russia provides useful insight into potential red lines and negotiating positions.
The article further notes his warnings about Russia’s nuclear capability, while stressing that he sees no signs of imminent nuclear preparation, framing such decisions as primarily political rather than technical.
Despite ongoing threats, Budanov maintains that a negotiated end to the war remains possible under the right conditions.
