Zelenskyy Overhauls Leadership as Russian Offensive Intensifies

Volodymyr Zelensky appointed military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov as his top adviser and proposed digital specialist Mykhailo Fedorov as defense minister. The reshuffle follows the resignation of Andriy Yermak amid corruption allegations and comes as Russia makes its most significant territorial gains since 2022. These leadership changes aim to strengthen the position of Ukraine in U.S.-backed peace negotiations involving Donald Trump and international advisors.Budanov replaces Yermak after investigations into a $100 million kickback scheme in the energy sector prompted the former chief of staff to step down. Zelensky emphasized that the new appointments will prioritize strategic security and drone technology as Moscow now occupies nearly 20% of Ukrainian territory.The diplomatic overhaul coincides with efforts by Steve Witkoff and other officials to refine a peace framework ahead of upcoming summits involving the EU and NATO.