While Russian Federation forces continue relentlessly taking up territory both in the Eastern Donetsk region and in many other places of the almost 1,000 mile-long frontline, what’s left for Ukraine is to gain some smashing victories on the battlefield it usually dominates: the headlines of the MSM.
So, in this context, young nationalist leader Kyrylo Budanov is back in the news. The head of the Ukrainian Military’s Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) is known to TGP readers ever since at least June 2023, when he disappeared for over two weeks and was rumored to be dead: Ukrainian Head of Intelligence Is Missing – General Budanov Hasn’t Been Seen in 17 Days – Russian Media Says He Was Wounded, Evacuated to Germany – Kiev Denies, Putin Confirms Attack on GRU Headquarters
In the end, Budanov returned to action and has been a consequential leader ever since, even had his name mentioned as a substitute for dismissed General Valery Zaluzhny, before Oleksandr Syrsky was installed.
But it hasn’t all been good times, as news also emerged that his wife would have been targeted with poison: Ukrainian Spy Chief Budanov’s Wife, Marianne, Reportedly Hospitalized for Heavy Metal Poisoning.
Budanov has been implicated in terrorist attacks that targeted figures from the daughter of Russian philosopher Alexander Dugin, to journalists and military correspondents.
Hellbound and Down 