Politics

Zelensky picks Military Intelligence Head Budanov as his new chief of staff
Politics

Zelensky picks Military Intelligence Head Budanov as his new chief of staff

by Kateryna Denisova

President Volodymyr Zelensky has appointed Kyrylo Budanov, the military intelligence chief, to take charge of the President's Office on Jan. 2. "Now, Ukraine needs more focus on security issues, the development of the Defense and Security Forces of Ukraine, as well as on the diplomatic track in negotiations, and the President's Office will serve primarily to fulfill such tasks," Zelensky said. Budanov accepted the offer. "For me, it is an honor and a responsibility to focus on critically impo

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Coming of age during war, where mistakes can cost a life

Editor's note: This essay was originally published in the Kyiv Independent's first-ever print edition, titled "The Power Within," in July 2025. You can order a copy in our e-store. Soldiers featured in this story are identified by first names only due to security reasons. In the fall of 2023, I remember sitting in a circle with Ukrainian soldiers whom I had come to call friends. It was getting chilly outside, but the leftover coals from the barbecue and the constant laughter kept us warm. We

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