Photo: ZN
President Volodymyr Zelensky has appointed Rustem Umerov as head of Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service and former Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko as secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC). The relevant decrees were published on the president's official website.
Umerov takes over foreign intelligence
By Decree No. 692/2026, Zelensky relieved Oleh Luhovskyi of his duties as acting head of the Foreign Intelligence Service and, in a separate decree, appointed Umerov to lead the agency.
The appointment followed Zelensky's decision to dismiss Umerov from his previous post as NSDC secretary.
Klymenko appointed NSDC secretary
Under Decree No. 694/2026, Zelensky appointed former Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko as secretary of the National Security and Defense Council.
Klymenko had previously declined the post of defense minister amid public criticism, choosing not to take over the ministry.
Background
Earlier, reported that Zelensky had decided to appoint Umerov, who had recently served as NSDC secretary and previously as defense minister, as head of the Foreign Intelligence Service. According to the outlet, the appointment was coordinated with former head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak.
Umerov became the third head of the Foreign Intelligence Service since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion. His predecessor, Oleh Ivashchenko, was appointed chief of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (HUR) in January, replacing Kyrylo Budanov.
Umerov had also been considered for the post of Ukraine's ambassador to the United States. However, according to diplomatic sources cited by ZN.UA, US officials informally asked Kyiv on two occasions not to appoint him to that position.
Klymenko had also been viewed as a candidate to replace Mykhailo Fedorov as defense minister. Following public backlash, however, he declined the appointment and remained without another government position until his selection as NSDC secretary.
