People's deputy Volodymyr Aryev made a sensational statement, claiming that the head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence, Kyryll Budanov, is planned to be fired because of his high ratings, which, according to the Office of the President, threaten the positions of Volodymyr Zelenskyi. According to him, the attempt to eliminate Budanov was close to implementation, but it was temporarily postponed due to the influence of Western allies.
Ariev emphasized that any person who gets high marks in the polls becomes a target for the president. According to him, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba already experienced a similar situation, and Budanov became the next in line.
Volodymyr Aryev said that President Zelensky is jealous of anyone who can surpass him in terms of popularity, and is especially annoyed with his closest associates. Valery Zaluzhnyi, the commander of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, according to Ariev, became the most vivid example of this political jealousy. Budanov, whose rating continues to grow, was on the verge of dismissal. According to Ariev, they wanted to appoint the head of the Foreign Intelligence Service in Budanov's place, but this plan was temporarily postponed.
The fact that, according to Aryev, the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Rustem Umyerov is helping Bankova in undermining Budanov's positions is especially disturbing. Umerov accuses intelligence of abuses related to the Spetstechnoexport company, but Ariev calls it manipulation. He reminds that the main abuses of billions of dollars took place in May-June 2022, when the Ministry of Defense was headed by Denys Sharapov, a close partner of the head of the President's Office, Andriy Yermak.
Ariev emphasizes that it was through the gasket companies and "Ukrspecexport" that contracts with 100% advance payment were concluded, after which the weapons were not delivered, and the money disappeared. According to the deputy, Minister Umyerov is turning a blind eye to the abuse by Yermak's people, focusing on Budanov, which indicates that his release is being prepared.
Ariev summarized that President Zelenskyi, having unlimited power thanks to martial law, will eventually release Budanov, using discredit as the main tool. This situation shows that the political struggle in Ukraine is taking on new, more acute forms, where not only positions are at stake, but also the future of the state.
