Budanov Reveals Contacts with Prigozhin and GRU Chief
Ukrainian presidential office head Kirill Budanov revealed in a New York Times interview that he regularly communicated with Russian Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin until shortly before the 2023 Wagner mutiny, and also maintained contact with Russian GRU chief Igor Kostyukov since 2022 on issues including grain shipping and prisoner exchanges.
Consensus
- Kirill Budanov, head of Ukraine's presidential office, stated in a New York Times interview that he had regular communication with Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of the Wagner Group.
- Budanov's contacts with Prigozhin ended shortly before the Wagner Group's 2023 mutiny.
- Budanov also communicated with Igor Kostyukov, head of Russia's GRU, starting in 2022.
- The contacts with Kostyukov initially focused on opening Black Sea shipping routes for grain transport.
- Budanov mentioned that progress was made on prisoner exchanges during these talks.
- Budanov stated he advised Zelensky not to accept any compromises on Donbass that would allow Russia to claim control.
- Prigozhin died in a plane crash in August 2023 in Tver Oblast, with nine others on board.
- Budanov became head of the Ukrainian presidential office on January 2, 2026.
- Budanov has been involved in peace negotiations since at least November 2025.
Points of divergence
- Budanov was described as being on the Russian list of terrorists and extremists. — vm
- Budanov participated in negotiations to end the war with Russia. — meduza
- Prigozhin allegedly offered to provide Russian troop locations in exchange for Ukrainian withdrawal from Bakhmut, according to leaked U.S. intelligence. — tg_agentstvonews
- Prigozhin mocked the leak by saying he and Budanov were still in Africa. — tg_agentstvonews
- A memorial complex for Wagner fighters, including a monument to Prigozhin and Dmitry Utkin, was opened in Irkutsk in winter 2025. — vm
- A general behaved unusually during the 2023 Wagner mutiny by offering tea to special forces guarding a key headquarters. — vm
- Budanov predicted that conditions for ceasefire would likely not be met before spring 2027. — tg_agentstvonews
Coverage (4 sources)
- Head of Zelensky's office spoke about communication with Evgeny Prigozhin and head of GRU — ЭХО / Новости
- Kyryll Budanov* said he regularly communicated with Yevheniy Prygozhyn — Вечерняя Москва
- Head of the Ukrainian Presidential Office Kyrylo Budanov said he regularly communicated with Yevgeny Prigozhin — Meduza
- Budanov spoke about regular talks with Prigozhin — Агентство. Новости
Key entities
- Yevgeniya Prigozhina
- Budanova
- Ukraine
- The New York Times
- Wagner Group
- Wagner Group
- Zelenskyy
- GUR
- Wagner Group
- GRU
- Presidential Office
- Ministries of Defense
- Ministry of Defense
More on Yevgeniya Prigozhina
- Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of the Wagner PMC
- Pavel Prigozhin Expands Wagner's African Business Amid Kremlin Control
- Classmate of Putin Gains Control of Moscow School Meal Contracts
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