Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed former interior minister Ihor Klymenko for the post of secretary of the National Security and Defense Council. According to Zelensky, the decree on the appointment is already being prepared.
The position is currently held by Rustem Umerov. It has not yet been announced what role he may take after Klymenko’s possible appointment. As NSDC secretary, Umerov was, among other things, Ukraine’s chief representative in talks with the United States and Russia.
Earlier, Umerov served as Ukraine’s defense minister. In connection with that work, his name was mentioned in the Energoatom case, one of the country’s most prominent corruption cases in recent years. In that case, Umerov was questioned as a witness.
The announcement comes amid continuing personnel reshuffles in the Ukrainian government. On July 14, the Verkhovna Rada dismissed the cabinet headed by Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, triggering a new round of changes in the government.
Klymenko had earlier been seen as a likely candidate for defense minister. But on the evening of July 16, Zelensky said he would propose Yevhen Khmara, the head of the Security Service of Ukraine, to lead the Defense Ministry.
Before that, the ministry had been headed by Mykhailo Fedorov. He was not reappointed, reportedly because of a conflict with Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. Fedorov’s dismissal sparked protests in various parts of Ukraine.