Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has confirmed the appointment of National Security and Defence Council (NSDC) Secretary Rustem Umerov as head of the country's Foreign Intelligence Service.


The announcement was made during a meeting with Ukrainian ambassadors, RBC-Ukraine reports.


Umerov, who also heads Ukraine's delegation to the Geneva negotiations, will continue to oversee several key areas despite assuming his new role, Zelenskyy said.


According to the president, Umerov will remain responsible for coordinating cooperation with the United States and other international partners, as well as overseeing defence policy, diplomatic engagement, negotiations aimed at ending the war, and issues related to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).


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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is planning to appoint National Security and Defence Council (NSDC) Secretary Rustem Umerov as head of Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service, Ukrainska Pravda reports.


The reported move comes in the wake of a recent Cabinet reshuffle. Zelenskyy has offered former Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko the post of secretary of the NSDC, a position currently held by Umerov. Before the reshuffle, Klymenko had also been considered a candidate for the post of defence minister.


On February 4, Zelenskyy appointed Oleh Luhovskyi, the first deputy head of the Foreign Intelligence Service, as the agency's acting chief. Earlier, on January 2, the president dismissed Oleh Ivashchenko as head of the Foreign Intelligence Service and appointed him chief of Ukraine's Defence Intelligence.


Umerov, who previously served as defence minister, has remained a prominent figure in Ukraine's national security apparatus and has taken part in negotiations involving Ukraine, Russia and the United States.


The report also revisits allegations linked to the so-called "Mindich tapes." In autumn 2025, detectives from Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) named businessman Tymur Mindich, co-owner of the Kvartal 95 production company founded by Zelenskyy before he entered politics, as a suspect in a case involving the alleged creation of a criminal organisation, money laundering and the unlawful influence of then-Defence Minister Umerov.


According to audio recordings obtained by NABU as part of the Midas corruption investigation, Mindich allegedly lobbied Umerov on behalf of Milicon UA, a company that had secured a contract to supply 75,000 body armour vests to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The contract was later terminated after concerns were raised over the quality of the equipment and following pressure from the Public Anti-Corruption Council under the Ministry of Defence.


Umerov has denied any improper influence during his tenure as defence minister. He acknowledged meeting with Mindich to discuss the body armour contract but said the agreement was ultimately cancelled because the supplied equipment failed to meet the required quality standards.


By Vafa Guliyeva