After being poisoned by Russian special services, Budanov’s wife secretly received treatment in the USA
Journalist Katie Livingston, who covers the war in Ukraine, shared information that Marianna Budanova, the wife of the head of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine Kyrylo Budanov, traveled to the U.S. in December 2024 for treatment following chemical poisoning.
Reporter reported this in a note on Platform X.
"Many sources confirmed to me that Marianna Budanova, the wife of Ukraine’s military intelligence chief, was secretly sent to the U.S. for further treatment in December 2024 — more than a year and a half after the alleged poisoning by the Russians. The attack targeted her and other high-ranking Ukrainian officials," Livingston wrote.
After treatment in 2023, Budanova’s condition improved, but by the end of 2024, there was a decline. Experts believe this is a standard situation with poisonings by substances such as arsenic and mercury. Livingston also noted in her report that the health condition of Marianna Budanova and the involvement of U.S. special services in her treatment highlight the long-term consequences of chemical attacks and continuous behind-the-scenes support of Ukraine by U.S. authorities in their stand against Russian aggression.
Livingston emphasized that several other Ukrainian officials were affected by the poisoning. However, Marianna Budanova’s condition was more severe due to her petite stature.
"An internal investigation is being conducted, although details are not being disclosed," the journalist reported, adding that U.S. military doctors offered Budanova help in the U.S. through the MID after her condition worsened, as there are currently insufficient facilities in Ukraine for advanced methods of treating heavy metal poisoning.
Katie Livingston also mentioned that after the full-scale invasion of Russian forces into Ukraine, Marianna stayed with her husband Kyrylo Budanov on the "Island" — a safe place for intelligence workers in Kyiv. She appeared in public for the first time after her poisoning at an official event last month.
"Her poisoning — as the wife of a high-ranking intelligence officer in Ukraine — and her secret treatment abroad demonstrate how dangerous the threats remain for those at the forefront of the war in and beyond Ukraine," Livingston concluded.
05 April 2025 ã., 00:03
