This was Russia today Thursday, January 8, 2026

Howdy, folks. Today, I examine an analysis of Zelensky’s cabinet reshuffle, which highlights the president’s severe personnel deficit. Read on for news regarding Moscow’s rejection of European peacekeepers in Ukraine and Trump’s latest abrupt shift regarding sanctions. Yours, Kevin.

Konstantin Skorkin details the ‘personnel deficit’ at the heart of Zelensky’s high-stakes cabinet reshuffle

Dogged by corruption scandals, Volodymyr Zelensky was recently forced to dump his chief of staff, Andriy Yermak. Zelensky is replacing him with Kyrylo Budanov, the outgoing head of Ukraine’s military intelligence. Konstantin Skorkin, an independent researcher who studies the political history of the Donbas, writes in a new article for Carnegie Politika that Budanov’s appointment is Zelensky’s attempt to shed the baggage of a rough year. Skorkin describes the move as a strategic maneuver to stabilize a system plagued by a “personnel deficit” and the fallout of the “Mindichgate” corruption scandal. 

By replacing the influential Andriy Yermak with Budanov — the country’s most effective and media-savvy intelligence chief — Zelensky likely hopes to “fix the image of presidential power” while maintaining a firm grip on his administration. Skorkin characterizes Budanov as an “independent center of power” who, despite previous friction with Yermak, has enjoyed “special access to the president” throughout the war.

Skorkin notes that Budanov’s transition from a military role to Ukraine’s highest civilian administrative post presents a significant challenge to the nation’s democracy, as a “man in uniform” has never before occupied such a high position in the civilian hierarchy. Zelensky may be counting on the inherent loyalty of a military officer to check Budanov’s personal ambition. However, the new chief of staff is unlikely to dismantle the centralized management model Yermak built, even if he is expected to purge his predecessor’s lieutenants. Internationally, while Budanov maintains the image of a staunch “hawk,” he is viewed as a “much more acceptable” figure for the White House than his predecessor and potentially more “pragmatic and flexible” in negotiating peace plans, drawing on his history of maintaining lines of communication with Moscow regarding prisoner exchanges.

Zelensky has framed Budanov’s appointment as part of a wider government overhaul, “camouflaging” the personnel move much as he did with the removal of Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi. This “grand reshuffle” included moving Mykhailo Fedorov to the Defense Ministry to bring transparency to a department plagued by corruption scandals and shifting Denys Shmyhal to the Energy Ministry to “clean up” the center of the Mindichgate affair. Rounding out this cabinet reset, Zelensky convinced the popular Vasyl Malyuk to step down as head of the Security Service of Ukraine, distancing the presidency from the security services’ public reputation for obstructing anti-corruption agencies during Mindichgate.

Skorkin notes that Budanov’s popularity ultimately makes him a significant political risk for Zelensky. Budanov is Ukraine’s third most popular politician, and polling suggests he could defeat Zelensky in a hypothetical runoff. This has sparked theories that Zelensky is either attempting to “neutralize a competitor” by placing him in a traditionally unpopular bureaucratic role or is grooming him as a successor to ensure his own future security. Skorkin rejects these ideas, arguing that Zelensky is merely rotating a narrow circle of trusted insiders because there are no viable, untainted alternatives.

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Moscow has categorically dismissed the deployment of European peacekeeping troops, labeling any foreign military presence on Ukrainian soil a “direct threat” and a legitimate combat target.

• A diplomatic deadlock: While leaders from France and the U.K. recently signed a “declaration of intent” to establish a legal framework for international monitors, the Kremlin’s refusal creates a major hurdle for the Trump administration’s peace initiatives. | The Washington Post

🇺🇸 Trump greenlights Russia sanctions as peace talks stall 🇷🇺

Seeking to increase economic pressure on the Kremlin, President Donald Trump has reportedly approved a bipartisan sanctions bill that would penalize nations purchasing cheap Russian oil.

• A shift in strategy: Senator Lindsey Graham announced the “greenlight” following a meeting with Trump, signaling a shift from previous efforts to prioritize a peace deal over new penalties. As Ukraine considers concessions and Putin maintains maximalist territorial demands, the legislation would give the White House fresh leverage against major buyers such as China, India, and Brazil. | Bloomberg

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