Umerov should resign given his Mindich ties — AntAC
Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Rustem Umerov (Photo: Rustem Umerov via Telegram)
National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) secretary Rustem
Umerov should resign and be barred from representing Ukraine in
international talks, Anti-Corruption Action Center (AntAC) executive director
Daria Kaleniuk told NV Radio on May 13.
Kaleniuk said audio recordings of fugitive businessman Tymur Mindich published by Ukrainian Pravda journalist Mykhailo Tkach appear authentic and repeatedly feature Umerov.
“He was constantly communicating with Tymur Mindich,” she said.
“Mindich was giving the defense minister instructions on how to help a particular [defense] company, Fire Point, how to get additional contracts for large budget orders for that company, and how to sell the company to the [United Arab] Emirates.”
She noted that Umerov frequently travels to the Middle East.
“Officially it’s presented as negotiations with the Russians about so‑called peace or about prisoner exchanges, but we understand that Umerov doesn’t only go to the United Arab Emirates and the Middle East for that,” Kaleniuk said. She added that the recordings suggest the former defense minister was effectively “in the pocket” of the head of an organized crime group, and that Umerov should resign.
Kaleniuk said Umerov lacks the public trust needed to
continue representing Ukraine as NSDC secretary, as head of the negotiating
group with U.S. and Russian delegations, and as the official responsible for
arms exports and sanctions because of an “obvious conflict of interest.” She
added that while the National Anti‑Corruption Bureau of Ukraine
(NABU) has not yet charged Umerov, possibly because investigators lack
sufficient evidence, he must face political consequences, including removal
from posts that affect life‑and‑death decisions.
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