Zelenskyy appointed Rustem Umerov as head of the Foreign Intelligence Service
On August 3, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed Rustem Umerov as head of Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service. Former Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko replaced him as Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council. The relevant decrees were published on the president’s website, according to “Ukrainska Pravda.”
Umerov’s spokesperson, Diana Davityan, stated that in his new position, he will coordinate the conclusion of agreements under the “Drone Deals” framework and will continue to participate in negotiations with the United States as part of the Ukrainian delegation. Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine already has nine such agreements, and negotiations are ongoing with 15 other countries. The format provides for long-term annual funding for the defense sector, the export of battle-tested Ukrainian weapons, and cooperation between MilTech companies and their partners.
The Foreign Intelligence Service gathers information outside Ukraine to ensure national security. Prior to Umerov’s appointment, Major General Oleg Lugovskyi served as the agency’s interim head. The service’s previous director, Oleg Ivashchenko, became head of the Main Intelligence Directorate in January 2026.
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Umerov was a member of parliament representing the “Holos” party, headed the State Property Fund, and in September 2023 became Minister of Defense. In November 2025, he led the revamped Ukrainian negotiating delegation in talks with the United States and the Russian Federation—the aggressor state—regarding a peace agreement. After that, Umerov served as Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council.
According to “Ukrainska Pravda,” Umerov’s name was mentioned in materials related to Operation “Midas”: the document referred to the alleged illegal influence exerted by businessman Timur Mindich on the then-Minister of Defense regarding a contract for body armor. Umerov denied any involvement in the corruption scheme, though he confirmed meeting with Mindich regarding the contract and stated that the agreement was terminated because the products did not meet the requirements. According to UP, following an investigation and questioning by NABU detectives, Umerov was granted witness status rather than suspect status.
