Zelensky's Chief of Staff Budanov featured in tapes linked to the latest corruption case
Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s President’s Office, is mentioned in audio recordings and court materials linked to a major corruption investigation involving former presidential aide Iryna Mudra and other suspects, Hromadske reported on August 26.
According to transcripts cited in court documents, Mudra and other suspects allegedly discussed Budanov’s involvement in matters concerning state-owned Sense Bank. In one recording, Mudra reportedly said that Timur Mindich, a close associate of President Volodymyr Zelensky and a suspect in the separate Energoatom corruption case, had approached Budanov about taking control of the bank’s cash flows. Mudra allegedly said Sense Bank management was prepared to follow Budanov’s instructions on where to transfer money.
The alleged recordings also include a conversation in which Mudra puts Budanov on speakerphone while speaking with former lawmaker Maksym Mykytas. Budanov allegedly thanks Mykytas for his work. Prosecutors also cited claims that Mindich personally delivered money intended for former Energy and Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko’s bail to a person identified as “Kyrylo Oleksiyovych,” which investigators believe refers to Budanov.
Other transcripts cited in the court materials allegedly show Mudra discussing Budanov in connection with efforts to avoid detection by anti-corruption investigators. In another exchange, Mudra allegedly said she regularly received unofficial payments of $20,000–$30,000 from “Kyrylo.”
The materials also contain an especially striking alleged exchange about corruption. According to the transcripts, Mudra said she wanted to “do the right things” and fight corruption. Budanov allegedly responded by saying that corruption should be “systematized and controlled.”
The allegations have not been independently verified, and Budanov has not been charged in the case based on the information provided. The investigation centers on allegations that Mudra, Mykytas and others laundered 150 million UAH ($3.4 million) through Sense Bank to secure bail for Halushchenko, who is separately accused in the Energoatom corruption case.
New details of the CIA Director's visit to Moscow
According to Ukrainian military-political analyst Serhiy Pavliuchenko, CIA Director John Ratcliffe held tense talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, but the meeting failed to produce agreement on an immediate ceasefire or a broader peace framework.
Ratcliffe reportedly presented U.S. proposals on the Donbas, a possible ceasefire and the withdrawal of Russian forces, while warning that Ukraine, with U.S. support, was preparing measures that could disrupt Russia’s exports, southern ports and strategic military capabilities. Putin rejected the proposals for now and reportedly warned that Russia would respond to Ukrainian operations “three times as strongly.”
The two sides also discussed a possible limited “port and energy” ceasefire. Putin reportedly demanded that Ukraine stop long-range strikes on Russian military targets more than 200 kilometers from the front, attacks on Russian civilian infrastructure, strikes on Crimea and its logistical infrastructure, and attacks on Russian refineries and other energy facilities. In return, Moscow would reportedly halt strikes on Ukrainian ports and energy infrastructure, while continuing attacks on facilities it considers connected to Ukraine’s military.
Ratcliffe also reportedly presented intelligence suggesting Russia was preparing for a covert mobilization of 350,000–450,000 people. Putin denied that a full-scale mobilization was planned, saying Russia had sufficient manpower reserves to meet the needs of the front.
On territorial issues, Putin reportedly did not rule out a special economic zone in Donetsk under U.S. administration, but said the proposal would require separate security and legal discussions between Washington and Moscow. He also reportedly indicated that Russia could consider a ceasefire in parts of Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts, but only as part of broader security arrangements.
The account was presented by Pavliuchenko and contains claims about confidential diplomatic discussions that have not been independently verified.
Putin is contemplating stronger ballistic missile strikes on Kyiv, believing negotiations are unproductive
Russian President Vladimir Putin is preparing to escalate military operations against Ukraine after concluding that negotiations aimed at ending the war have reached a dead end, according to sources close to the Kremlin cited by Bloomberg. With diplomatic efforts stalled, Moscow is shifting focus back toward intensifying its use of force rather than seeking compromise.
For now, Russia is weighing a significant increase in powerful conventional ballistic missile strikes targeting Kyiv, including the center of the capital, as well as infrastructure facilities in other Ukrainian cities. These planned attacks would represent a deliberate effort to raise the pressure on Ukraine’s government and population at a time when talks show little progress.
The assessment from people familiar with Kremlin thinking underscores Putin’s continued preference for achieving his objectives through military means if diplomacy fails to deliver the concessions he demands. As the war enters its fifth year, the reported plans signal a potential new phase of intensified long-range strikes even as both sides remain far apart on core issues of territory and security.