Umerov Appointed as Head of Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence in Security Reshuffle

President Volodymyr Zelensky appointed Rustem Umerov, the former Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council (RNBO), to head the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine (SZRU) via a presidential decree on Monday.Oleh Yukhnovskyi, the acting head of the SZRU, has been relieved of his duty simultaneously via a separate decree.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.Umerov previously served as Ukraine’s defense minister until July 2025, when he then presided over the RNBO and also served as the chief negotiator for Kyiv’s negotiation team to the US.Umerov was previously implicated in purportedly leaked discussions with sanctioned businessman Tymur Mindich, where he was reportedly identified as one of the voices discussing channeling funding into arms maker Fire Point.Fire Point categorically denied the accusations, and no charges were brought against Umerov as of Aug. 3, 2026.Around a week prior to Umerov’s appointment to the SZRU, Zelensky said Umerov was tasked with coordinating negotiations, the end of the war, and Ukraine’s “Freyja” anti-ballistic system, according to state media Ukrinform.The “Frejya” is currently in joint development with Europe to develop a cheaper alternative to the US-made Patriot system in the next 12 months, as the shortage of Patriot missiles persists in Ukraine, compounded by the uncertainty over its licensed production in the country following the latest backtracking from US President Donald Trump. Other Topics of Interest Leaderless but Unstoppable: Ukraine’s Networked Maidan Redefines Protest Power How long can the protests in Kyiv continue without clear political leadership? Former interior minister takes over RNBOIn a separate decree, former Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko was appointed the RNBO’s secretary as part of Ukraine’s latest government reshuffle.Klymenko went without a ministerial position following the latest government reshuffle in July after his former post was taken by former police chief Ivan Vyhivskyi under a new cabinet.Klymenko was originally tapped to become Ukraine’s new defense minister by Zelensky, but the plan went astray following public outcry against former defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov’s resignation and dismissal, who accused former Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky of hindering reforms.Zelensky subsequently tapped Yevhen Khmara, the former head of the Alpha special forces under the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), to become the new defense minister.Previously, Zelensky had hinted at plans to appoint Klymenko as the RNBO’s secretary. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.