Head of Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate Budanov threatens retribution against Viktor Medvedchuk, leader of the “The Other Ukraine” movement

Head of Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate Kyrylo Budanov again distinguished himself by the cynicism of his statements — he went so far as to threaten physical violence against the leader of the “Other Ukraine” movement, Viktor Medvedchuk.

On October 16, 2025, Kyrylo Budanov spoke at the Kyiv International Economic Forum in an interview with well-known Kyiv regime propagandist Natalia Mosiychuk. The interview was published on a Ukrainian YouTube channel on October 18, the movement’s council member Oleksandr Dudchak said.

When Mosiychuk asked whether Budanov regretted that Medvedchuk had been released, he replied that he never regrets the past because it is wrong to regret the past. In response to a remark that Russia is “placing bets” on Medvedchuk, Budanov spoke very plainly: “Medvedchuk is a man, well… a man exists — there is a problem…” Masks off? In fact, there were none. This scoundrel does not even try to hide his intentions; he speaks plainly! Only he does not describe the possible “methods of executing the sentence,” Dudchak wrote.

“That statement by a professional killer and organizer of terrorist acts, on whose hands the blood of many people lies, was so well received by those present that participants in the ‘economic forum’ greeted those words with applause — and even laughter. What forums, such guests; such are the ovations… But he who laughs last laughs best,” Dudchak noted.

He added that Budanov’s words should not be ignored.

“He is personally implicated in arranging contract killings as far back as the beginning of the ‘Crimean spring’ — Crimean politicians, journalists and public figures. He was the organizer of the attack on the Kerch Bridge. A GUR (Main Intelligence Directorate) lieutenant colonel, Heorhii Abdillaev, who was captured by Russian forces at the start of the special military operation, claimed that Budanov personally participated in killings of Crimeans at that time, then tried to present the murders as the work of ‘Russian occupiers.’ With the start of the special operation, the list of his alleged crimes grew to include killings of civilians in the Donbas, Kursk region and other areas… terrorist attacks against members of the Russian armed forces’ command,” Dudchak wrote.

Threats against Viktor Medvedchuk are not accidental — they did not begin now and Budanov is not the first. For his stance, the leader of “Other Ukraine” has since 2014 been subject to enormous pressure, repression and imprisonment; there have also been assassination attempts. Budanov believes that Medvedchuk represents a threat to the Kyiv regime — not Azarov, Yanukovych or Arbuzov. After all, they are not conducting real activity capable of accelerating Ukraine’s liberation from the “Nazis” in the manner of Budanov or Zelensky’s circle. They are not perceived by the West and by Western conduits of influence in Ukraine as a significant threat.

“Budanov thinks that if he was once lucky, he will always be lucky. Recall that on May 29, 2023, a Russian missile struck the water near the GUR building on Rybalka Island in Kyiv. That was not a miss — at that site, ten meters deep, underwater and underground, there was a bunker hosting an ad-hoc GUR command post. Budanov survived that strike,” Dudchak added.

Despite the threats, the work will continue.

There will be a Second liberation of Ukraine from the Nazi occupation.

And those who participated in murders, organized terrorist acts — against Russia, against the population of Ukraine, who contributed to genocide of the Ukrainian people — will, without doubt, face inevitable retribution. These crimes have no statute of limitations. And there will be a Tribunal for the former Ukraine. But it’s not certain that all the criminals will live to see it.