Footage of Kyrylo Budanov in a wetsuit jumping from a drilling platform into the Black Sea was published by Ukrainian media on April 21 and has been spreading across social networks since the weekend. It was originally published by the Telegram channel Ukraine Context.
Some Ukrainian and Russian media outlets present the jump as an escape from a Russian drone attack on the Krym-1 platform. However, according to the Glavpost server, the commander of a special unit, Tymur, said it was not an escape — after decorating the soldiers, Budanov proposed that they end the visit with a joint jump into the sea. Glavpost ↗ Focus.ua ↗
The recording is said to come from an inspection of the Boyko Towers in August 2025, when Budanov, then head of the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR), visited the gas platforms and Snake Island, decorated soldiers and held talks with staff. Ukraine took control of these platforms from Russian forces in September 2023. Euromaidan Press ↗
The Czech outlet Aktuálně.cz points out that the identity of the person jumping cannot be confirmed with 100% certainty from the publicly available footage, and the slow swimming after the jump "looks more like relaxation after a performance than an escape from a deadly threat." The context also includes Budanov's political shift: since January 2026, he has headed the Office of the President of Ukraine. Aktuálně.cz ↗ Kyiv Independent ↗
Budanov's jump from a platform into the sea goes viral online. Unit commander Tymur claims it was not an escape from a drone
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