Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, has selected Rustem Umerov as the country’s next Minister of Defense, despite his background being non-military. Umerov, a former telecommunications executive, will be overseeing the Ukrainian army during some of the most intense fighting in the war against Russia.
While Umerov’s appointment may seem unusual, it highlights a crucial aspect of Ukraine’s war effort – managing a significant military budget. With approximately half of the country’s national budget allocated to security and defense, concerns have been raised by Western allies about corruption and mismanagement of funds. The Defense Ministry has recently faced scrutiny due to revelations of mismanaged contracts and inadequate supplies for the military.
The 41-year-old Umerov, who belongs to the Crimean Tatar ethnic group and is set to become Ukraine’s first Muslim government minister, previously founded an investment firm before entering Parliament in 2019. During his time in Parliament, he led a commission overseeing Ukraine’s use of foreign aid and also chaired a committee monitoring foreign weapons donations.
The appointment of a minister with financial and anticorruption expertise has been welcomed by anticorruption groups, as they hope Umerov’s background will help curb corruption and ensure transparent contracting in the defense sector. His role as chairman of Ukraine’s State Property Fund over the past year has been successful, resulting in the highest proceeds in a decade from auctioning off state assets.
Umerov’s deputy at the property fund, Oleksandr Fedorishyn, emphasized the importance of financial management over military expertise at the Defense Ministry. He expressed confidence that Umerov’s experience in accounting and finance would contribute to the war effort.
Vitaliy Shabunin, the director of the Anti-Corruption Action Center, considers Umerov’s appointment as “probably the best decision of the president” due to his effective management of the privatization agency—a previously corrupt area of the government.
Despite being a member of the opposition Holos political party, Umerov has taken on critical roles for the government since Russia’s invasion in 2022. He played a significant role in negotiating the Black Sea grain deal and prisoner exchanges.
Umerov’s Crimean Tatar roots draw attention to Ukraine’s refusal to cede any Ukrainian territory to Russia, particularly Crimea, which was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014. Ukraine considers Crimea and the Donbas region as “red lines” and is determined to protect its people and land.
For the international community, Umerov’s Crimean Tatar identity serves as a clear signal that Ukraine is unwilling to surrender Crimea in exchange for peace. Born in Uzbekistan, Umerov’s family lived in exile after the forced expulsion of Crimean Tatars by Stalin, which many Tatars compare to the current persecution under Russian occupation.
Overall, Umerov’s appointment is seen as a strategic move by President Zelensky to address concerns of corruption in defense spending and strengthen the Ukrainian army. With his financial and anticorruption expertise, Umerov aims to make the Ministry of Defense more transparent and efficient.