Photo: Official website of the President of Ukraine.
During a meeting with journalists, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy categorically denied rumours of possible changes in the leadership of Ukraine’s defence ministries, in particular, the resignation of the Chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) Kyrylo Budanov and Defence Minister Rustem Umerov. The President stressed that such assumptions have no basis in fact, TimeUkraineIsrael reported.
“I had no intention of doing so. There are rumours about Budanov’s resignation, but this is not true. As for Umerov, there was also no discussion of his replacement,” Zelenskyy stressed.
Disinformation and propaganda around Budanov
Rumours of the resignation of Kirill Budanov, the head of the DIU, have been widely circulated in the media recently. One of the sources in the Ukrainian press reported that the possibility of his dismissal had allegedly been discussed: “This option exists”. In addition, a number of publications suggested that the head of the Foreign Intelligence Service, Oleh Ivashchenko, could be appointed to replace Budanov.
Against the backdrop of these statements, Russian propaganda resources launched fake information that Budanov was allegedly planning to run for the presidency of Ukraine and that his candidacy had already been approved by Western intelligence services. These manipulations were based on fictitious sources, manipulative KIIS polls and statements by pro-Russian collaborator Oleh Tsarev.
Russian disinformation is aimed at creating chaos and undermining the credibility of Ukraine’s key defence figures. President Zelenskyy has made it clear in his statements that all these rumours are untrue and that no changes in the leadership of defence structures are planned.
