Kyiv rejects rumors as Umerov prepares to return from U.S.
Umerov’s team says he will return on Nov. 20 (Photo: REUTERS/Alina Smutko)
National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov will return to Ukraine from an overseas trip on Thursday, Nov. 20, his spokesperson Diana Davityan told Ukrainska Pravda.
Davityan said Umerov’s trip was scheduled “through Nov. 19 inclusive.” When asked whether he would be back in Ukraine on Nov. 20, she replied: “Yes.”
Ukrainska Pravda earlier reported that Umerov arrived in the U.S. state of Florida on Nov. 16. Sources gave differing accounts of his plans: some said he traveled to visit family living in Florida, while others claimed he intended to meet with representatives of U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration.
It had remained unclear whether the former defense minister and current NSDC secretary planned to return to Ukraine, prompting speculation online.
Rumors suggesting Umerov was refusing to come back surfaced on Telegram, citing a post from the Clash Report account on X.
On Nov. 17, Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation said reports that Umerov had left Ukraine and was refusing to return were false. A source in the President’s Office also confirmed this to Interfax-Ukraine.
“It’s fake,” the source said.
On Nov. 11, Umerov announced he would be working in Türkiye and the Middle East “in the coming days” to help unblock prisoner-exchange efforts. His trip followed a major corruption investigation by NABU detectives and SAPO prosecutors into the energy sector.
The case involves businessman Tymur Mindich; former energy minister and now justice minister Herman Halushchenko; former deputy prime minister Oleksiy Chernyshov; Oleksandr Tsukerman; senior Energoatom officials; and others.
On Nov. 11, a SAPO prosecutor said Mindich had influenced Halushchenko and Umerov throughout 2025. Umerov rejected the allegation, saying attempts to link his work to the “influence” of specific individuals were unfounded. He confirmed meeting Mindich once to discuss a body-armor supply contract.
“The contract was eventually terminated due to the product’s noncompliance with requirements, and not a single vest was delivered,” Umerov said.
On Nov. 12, Tetiana Nikolenko, deputy head of the Defense Ministry’s Public Anti-Corruption Council, said Mindich may be connected to the procurement of substandard body armor for Ukraine’s Defense Forces.
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