Zelensky replaced the head of the National Security and Defense Council: Umierov entrusted with a key position during the war

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appointed Rustem Umierov as the new Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council. The corresponding decree No. 496/2025 was published on July 18. Umierov previously held the position of Minister of Defense, which he took up in September 2023. The same decree dismissed Oleksandr Litvinenko from the position of NSDC secretary, who had led the Council since March 2024.

Changes in the leadership of the security sector occur against the backdrop of a renewal of the Ukrainian executive power. The Verkhovna Rada appointed Yulia Svirzhydenko as the new Prime Minister, replacing Denys Shmyhal, the previous First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy. Shmyhal is now at the head of the Ministry of Defense.

President Zelensky emphasized that these personnel decisions are aimed at strengthening state institutions during the war. The new government must ensure stable financing for the Armed Forces of Ukraine and strengthen the internal economic potential.

Zelensky also announced further reformatting of the security sector, which is part of a broader plan to adapt state governance to the new challenges of wartime. Earlier, on Thursday, July 17, the Verkhovna Rada approved the updated composition of the government led by Prime Minister Yulia Svirzhydenko.

The Ukrainian executive power is undergoing changes, renewing its leadership. The appointment of a new NSDC secretary and shifts in government positions indicate strategic changes aimed at increasing the efficiency of state affairs management in wartime conditions.