Zelenskyy confirms Umierov will head Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has confirmed that Rustem Umierov, currently secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine, will soon become the head of the Foreign Intelligence Service.

Source: Suspilne; Interfax-Ukraine

Details: Speaking at the annual conference of heads of Ukraine's diplomatic missions, attended by more than 100 diplomats, Zelenskyy said Umierov would coordinate the conclusion of new international drone agreements in his new role.

The president said Ukraine already has such agreements with nine countries and is negotiating with 15 more. The deals cover not only exports of Ukrainian-made drones but also the integration of Ukrainian drone defence technologies into the defence systems of partner countries.

"Umierov will coordinate this work, and not only the Middle East," Zelenskyy said.

He added that Umierov would also continue working on diplomatic issues, including negotiations with the United States.

Background:

• Earlier, Zelenskyy said he had offered Ihor Klymenko, who had served for several years as acting interior minister, the post of the secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine. Klymenko had previously been considered for the position of defence minister.
• On 4 February, Zelenskyy appointed Oleh Luhovskyi, the first deputy head of the Foreign Intelligence Service, as acting chief of the agency.
• On 2 January, Zelenskyy dismissed Oleh Ivashchenko as head of the Foreign Intelligence Service and appointed him chief of Defence Intelligence of Ukraine.
• In November 2025, detectives from Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau accused businessman and Kvartal 95 co-founder Tymur Mindich of creating a criminal organisation, laundering criminal proceeds and illegally influencing then-defence minister Rustem Umierov.
• Recordings known as the Mindich tapes, which surfaced during Operation Midas, suggested that Mindich had personally lobbied Umierov on behalf of Milikon UA, a company that had secured a contract to supply 75,000 body armour vests to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The quality of the body armour later came under scrutiny, and the contract was terminated following pressure from the Defence Ministry's Public Anti-Corruption Council.
• Umierov has denied being improperly influenced while serving as defence minister. He acknowledged meeting Mindich to discuss the body armour contract but said the agreement was ultimately cancelled because the products failed to meet the required standards.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon to help us keep reporting!