Budanov predicts that 2025 will be better for Ukraine than 2024.

He discussed this during a telethon broadcast on December 31, while responding to a journalist's questions.

The head of military intelligence noted that a year ago he was asked a similar question, and he "honestly stated that, unfortunately, 2024 would be very difficult."

Regarding the upcoming year, Budanov expressed that he has "much more optimism."

"2025 will definitely be better than this one. There are objective factors for this, and I hope that in 2025 we will see a lot of good events that will ultimately bring us what we are all waiting for," said the head of the GUR.

According to Budanov, Russia is capable of continuing the war, but if they "do not come to their senses by mid-2025," they will "have to make very difficult decisions" related to their financial and economic systems.

"Are they ready for this? Maybe they are. Do they want this? I can say with a hundred percent certainty, no. Therefore, they will do everything to prevent it," concluded the head of military intelligence.

He added that while there are currently no noticeable changes in the sentiments of Russian society, this does not mean that such changes will not occur in the future.

"The sentiments of Russian society are a phenomenon. They seem stable, but they have always changed in a diametrically opposite direction in just a day. This has been the case throughout all times," explained Budanov.

Earlier, Budanov stated that Russia would attempt to "resolve" the issue of Ukraine by 2026. The GUR confirmed that Russian military officials prepared a document that includes, among other things, a plan for dividing Ukrainian territory into three parts.