Crimean Tatar to become Ukraine's defense minister. Who is Rustem Umerov who is to replace Reznikov?

After numerous corruption scandals in the Ukrainian army, the head of the defense ministry, Oleksiy Reznikov, resigned. He is to become Ukraine's ambassador to Great Britain and will probably leave for London soon. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wants Crimean Tatar Rustem Umerov to become the new defense minister. What do we know about him?

Zelensky announced an important change

In a Sunday evening speech, President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed media reports that there will be a change in the post of Ukraine's defense minister. Oleksiy Reznikov, who is popular in the West, is to be replaced by the head of the Ukrainian State Property Fund, Rustem Umerov, who has exceptional contacts in the Middle East. The final decision will be made by the Ukrainian parliament this week.

I decided to change the position of the Minister of Defense of Ukraine. Oleksiy Reznikov has been through more than 550 days of full-scale war. I believe that the ministry needs a new approach and new forms of cooperation with both the military and the public. The ministry should be headed by Rustem Umerov. The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine knows this person well and Mr. Umerov needs no introduction. I expect Parliament to support this candidacy

After numerous corruption scandals in the Ukrainian army, Oleksiy Reznikov, the head of the defense ministry, resigned on 4 September in the morning. He is to become Ukraine's ambassador to Great Britain and will probably leave for London soon.

Who is Reznikov's successor Rustem Umerov?

Rustem Umerov is a Ukrainian politician of Crimean Tatar descent. He was born in Uzbekistan and lived in Alushta, Crimea. He is an economist by education, and before starting his political career, he dealt with business and investments. In 2004, he worked in a telecommunications company, where he held a managerial position.

At the head of the State Property Fund of Ukraine, Umerov successfully fought corruption. In 2021, Volodymyr Zelensky awarded him the State Order of Merit of the 3rd degree for "significant personal contribution to the construction of the state, strengthening its defense capabilities, socio-economic, scientific, technical, cultural and educational development of the Ukrainian state, significant work achievements and many years of diligent work" .

Makarczuk: Umerov can play an important role in regaining Crimea

In 1944, the Umer family was forcibly deported to Uzbekistan by the Soviets. The family of the future Minister of Defense returned to the Crimea only after almost 50 years, several years before the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Ukrainian-Polish journalist Alina Makarczuk believes that this man can play an important role in the recovery of Crimea.

https://twitter.com/Alina_Makarczuk/status/1698667297693430049

In 2019, he became a deputy in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. He also participated in many rounds of negotiations with Russia in the spring of 2022, which were held in Minsk. The media wrote about attempts to poison Umerov. For years, Umerov was also an adviser to Mustafa Dzhemilev, the leader of the Crimean Tatar nation.

Dzhemilev: Umerov is an exceptionally decent man

The Ukrainian service Hromadske quotes the words of the Crimean Tatar leader Mustafa Dzhemilev about his adviser Umerov.

He is an exceptionally decent man. I never doubted it. He is a person who constantly works on himself, learns all his life and reads a lot. During the war it was Rustem Umerov who could have been unofficially involved in the work on the supply of heavy weapons to Ukraine.

 Unofficially, the Ukrainian media also reported that Umerov had secretly been working on the supply of heavy weapons and aid to the army since the first days of the war. He has extensive contacts among Ukrainian allies. And, most importantly, an unblemished reputation.