Zelensky Reshuffles Government and Appoints Rustem Umerov to Intelligence

President Volodymyr Zelensky executed a government reshuffle on August 3, appointing Rustem Umerov as the head of Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service. Umerov, who previously served as defense minister and Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, will continue to lead trilateral peace negotiations with Russia and the United States and coordinate the Drone Deal initiative for drone exports and integration.

As part of the restructuring, Zelensky appointed former Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko as the new Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council. To fill the vacancy in the defense ministry, the president intends to nominate Yevchen Khmara, the acting head of the SBU security service, pending parliamentary confirmation.

These appointments follow the dismissal of acting intelligence chief Major General Oleh Luhovyi and defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov. The removal of Fedorov sparked public protests in Kyiv. Regarding Umerov's appointment, Zelensky stated that "He has greater capacity to simultaneously handle diplomacy, defence, and the negotiation process with the United States and certain other partners."