Oleksiy, former Minister of Defense of Ukraine Reznikov called world leaders to support his successor in this position, Rustem Umerov, and together speed up the victory over the occupiers.
Reznikov wrote about this in the column for The Guardian.
“How long is 671 days? In the context of modern history, this is perhaps the equivalent of a few seconds. But for me, this is a period of time during which more has happened to Ukraine than many countries have experienced in a century. This is also the number of days during which I served as the Minister of Defense of my country”Reznikov wrote.
He recalled that he started working in this position on November 4, 2021, when Ukraine had already been facing the Russian hybrid war for eight years.
“In 112 days, the Kremlin launched a full-scale war, the likes of which Europe had not known since World War II. Ukraine became the first state in the world that was forced to wage war with the aggressor in five spheres at once: on land, in the air, on water, in informational and cybernetic spaces.— noted the former Minister of Defense of Ukraine.
Reznikov added that during his tenure he always thought about what the Armed Forces of Ukraine needed not today, but tomorrow.
“This led to the vital acquisition of the Javelin, NLAW and Stinger; later we acquired the M777 howitzer, the Patriot missile system and are now preparing to deploy F-16 fighter jets”he remarked.
Reznikov thanked his fellow defense ministers and called them people who are “writing a new page of world history.”
“Thanks to you, Ukrainians can stand up to Russian aggression with dignity. We will never forget those who helped us in the most terrible time of our history.”– he emphasized.
He asked the ministers to support the now newly appointed Minister of Defense of Ukraine Rustem Umyerov.
“I would like to ask you to be even more responsive and support my successor. Rustem Umyerov is a competent and professional person who is able to continue the initiatives we started. Together, you will speed up the victory of Ukraine”Reznikov wrote.
What is known about Rustem Umyerov
Rustem Enverovich Umyerov was born in 1982 in Samarkand, Uzbek SSR, in a family of natives from Alushta (Crimea, Ukraine). Ethnic Crimean Tatar and Muslim. He graduated from the Crimean boarding school for gifted children of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. Scholar under the Future Leaders Exchange Program (FLEX), USA. Has a bachelor’s degree in economics. Received a master’s degree in “Finance” at the National Academy of Management. Rustem Umyerov is married and raises three children.
Photo: “Ukrainian Pravda”
Career achievements
Rustem Umyerov started his career in the lifecell company, holding various management positions from 2004 to 2010. Managed the areas of legal support and logistics. At the same time, he began to engage in investment activities. In 2013, together with his brother Aslan, Omir Kirimly founded the ASTEM investment company and the ASTEM Foundation charity fund. The ASTEM company manages investments in the fields of communications, information technology and infrastructure. In 2019, he was elected as a People’s Deputy of the 9th convocation from the “Voice” party, number 18 on the list as a non-party member. Member of the faction of the same name.
Rustem Umyerov heads the State Property Fund of Ukraine from September 7, 2022.
Photo: “Voice of Ukraine”
Umerov’s role in the issue of deoccupation of Crimea
Even before the occupation of Crimea, the Umerov family initiated the restoration of the cultural and historical heritage of Crimea. The official himself worked to restore the historical and political rights of the Crimean Tatars, and also actively lobbies for the adoption of bills important for the Crimean Tatars: on indigenous peoples and the status of the Crimean Tatar people.
In 2007, Umyerov became a co-founder of the international organization Bizin Qirim and the NGO “Land of the Crimean Tatars”, and a few years later – the “Crimea Development Fund”.
In 2012, Rustem Umyerov became a co-founder and board member of the Crimean International Business Association and a trustee of the candidate for people’s deputies in the 10th district of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Akhtem Chigoyz.
Umerov is a delegate of the Kurultai of the Crimean Tatar people, an adviser to the leader of the Crimean Tatar people, Mustafa Dzhemilev. He was also the deputy head of the permanent delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe before his appointment as the head of the FSMU. Since December 2020, he has been co-chairman of the Crimean Platform deputy association in the Verkhovna Rada.
One of the main vectors in the activity of Rustem Umyerov was constant communication regarding the exchange of Crimean political prisoners and prisoners of war. In particular, in 2017, he contributed to the release of two political prisoners of the Kremlin – Crimean Tatars Akhtem Chiygoz and Ilma Umyerova.
He was the co-chairman of the “Crimean Platform” deputy association, a member of the Ukrainian negotiation group with the Russian Federation. He is one of the donors of the Ukrainian Emerging Leaders program at Stanford University, which trains Ukrainian politicians, lawyers, social entrepreneurs, businessmen and public leaders. Awarded the Order of Merit, III degree.
We will remind that on Tuesday, September 5, people’s deputies dismissed from office Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov. The corresponding decision was supported by 327 parliamentarians.
On Wednesday, September 6, the parliament appointed Rustem Umyerov as the Minister of Defense of Ukraine. Previously, he headed the State Property Fund. 338 parliamentarians supported Umerov’s candidacy.
