President Considers Dismissing Defense Minister Umerov, Reassigning Him as Ambassador to the U.S. – Where His Family Resides

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is reportedly weighing the dismissal of Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, with plans to appoint him as Ukraine’s next ambassador to the United States — the country where his family is currently based.

Here’s a brief reminder of what’s wrong with Umerov and why his dismissal is long overdue:

• Umerov’s Ministry of Defense is marked by systemic chaos, corruption risks, and managerial incompetence that are steering the country toward defeat rather than victory.

• Umerov’s Ministry of Defense failed to deliver weapons worth 51 billion UAH to the front.

• Umerov’s Ministry of Defense has not established an effective system to counter the threat of Shahed drones.

• Umerov’s Ministry of Defense has repeatedly failed to supply the army with drones in a timely manner.

• Umerov’s Ministry of Defense has made serious errors in constructing fortifications.

• Umerov’s Ministry of Defense dismantled the independent Supervisory Board to install loyalists at the Defense Procurement Agency.

• Umerov’s Ministry of Defense created a “closed club” of insiders who receive opaque arms procurement contracts.

• Umerov’s Ministry of Defense has allowed his subordinate institutions to withhold information that was previously disclosed or publicly available.

• Umerov’s Ministry of Defense funneled tens of billions of hryvnias through the border guard service to a Polish company.

• Umerov’s Ministry of Defense has failed to repair the quality control system for ammunition after a scandal involving defective mines.

• Umerov’s Ministry of Defense is led by a minister who spends more time abroad than actively managing this key ministry.

• Umerov’s Ministry of Defense has unofficial advisers who are also his business partners and wield influence comparable to that of deputy ministers.

• Umerov’s Ministry of Defense has seen 30 appointments and dismissals of deputy ministers in just a year and a half.

• Umerov’s Ministry of Defense has a minister who ignores summonses to the Verkhovna Rada.

And that’s far from the full list of complaints. This is a case where the few positives—such as efforts toward digitalization—don’t come close to outweighing the glaring failures.

To Anti-Corruption Action Center, it’s long been clear: Umerov’s Ministry is leading us not toward victory, but toward disaster. The sooner the government realizes this, the better it will be for the whole country.

EMPR