The Basmanny District Court of Moscow has arrested Ukrainian Intelligence Chief Kyrylo Budanov in absentia for the second time this year. Budanov, who is the chief of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine (GUR), was charged with over 104 crimes including acts of terror.
Throughout the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Budanov has been active in a myriad of operations against Russian forces. He has also been a key figure in an ongoing “information war” with Russia. His prominent role has made him the target of various assassination attempts, such as a car bombing incident.
The latest charges against him include committing an act of terror that led to substantial losses, covered under Article 205 of the Criminal Code Of The Russian Federation. Recently, his wife and several other GUR employees were poisoned by heavy metals, which led to a reported attempt on their lives and the necessity for immediate medical intervention.
Budanov was previously arrested in absentia in April 2023 due to his supposed role in the explosion on the Kerch Bridge, which connects the Crimea region to mainland Russia. The charges filed against him included creating a terrorist community and the launch of a terrorist attack by a group of people, as well as the possession of weapons and explosives. Following his arrest, Budanov responded that he was pleased as it serves as an indicator of their effective work and vowed to improve even further.
Recently, Russian authorities have also carried out in absentia arrests on other Ukrainian military figures, such as the Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk, Naval Forces Commander Oleksii Neizhpapa, and the commander of the 383rd Separate Regiment of Remote-controlled aircraft of the Air Force, Serhii Burdeniuk.