34 Facts About Rustem Umerov

Rustem Enverovych Umerov is a Ukrainian politician, businessman, investor, philanthropist and the current Defence Minister of Ukraine.

Since December 2020, Rustem Umerov has co-chaired the Crimea Platform diplomatic initiative.

In September 2023, amidst the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy named Rustem Umerov to replace Oleksii Reznikov as defense minister of Ukraine.

Rustem Umerov's father, Enver Umerov, was an engineering technologist; his mother, Meryem Umerova, was a chemical engineer.

Rustem Umerov received a bachelor's degree in economics and a master's degree in finance from the National Academy of Management.

Since 2019, Rustem Umerov has been a People's Deputy of Ukraine from the Holos political party.

Rustem Umerov is the President's Advisory Council Commissioner for Ukraine's Interaction with Arab and Muslim States.

On 3 September 2023, Rustem Umerov was nominated by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy to replace Oleksii Reznikov as the Minister of Defence of Ukraine.

Rustem Umerov has co-authored almost 100 bills, drafted a statement by the Verkhovna Rada on the illegitimacy of Russia's vote on amendments to the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, and introduced a bill on the abolition of the Crimean free economic zone.

Rustem Umerov helped spearhead the construction of 1,000 apartments for internally-displaced Crimean Tatars and other Ukrainian citizens with Turkish support.

Rustem Umerov co-authored a bill establishing a procedure for recognizing stateless persons.

Rustem Umerov collaborated on a bill exempting internally-displaced persons from tourist tax for living in temporary accommodations that was signed into law on 12 October 2020.

Rustem Umerov said that because Russia has violated international law, it is responsible for the humanitarian needs of the Crimean people.

Rustem Umerov was deputy head of the permanent delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

Rustem Umerov co-chaired the groups for inter-parliamentary relations with Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

In January 2021, as part of a delegation to the PACE winter session, Rustem Umerov raised the issue of violation of the rights of Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars in Crimea by the Russian occupiers.

Rustem Umerov raised the issue of allegedly compulsory vaccination by Russia of Ukrainian citizens in Crimea with its Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine.

Rustem Umerov met with international partners to inform them about the alleged systemic human-rights violations, including those against Crimean Tatars in Crimea.

Rustem Umerov is one of the most active supporters of President Zelenskyy's "peace formula" on international forums and is expected to promote the Ukrainian "peace formula" in neutral countries of the Global South, especially in the Arab world, Africa and Asia.

Rustem Umerov facilitated the 2017 release of two Russian political prisoners, Crimean Tatars Ahtem Chiygoz and Ilmi Rustem Umerov.

In March 2020, Rustem Umerov initiated parliamentary hearings on the de-occupation and reintegration of Crimea and Sevastopol in March of that year to develop a strategic document on the return of the region to Ukraine.

Rustem Umerov was elected co-chair with Mustafa Dzhemilev, Ahtem Chiygoz, Yelyzaveta Yasko, and Vadym Halaichuk.

Rustem Umerov drafted a parliamentary appeal to the UN and other bodies condemning the occupation of Crimea and Sevastopol, violations of human rights and freedoms, and calling for the release of Ukrainian political prisoners.

Rustem Umerov has participated in student, public and charitable events, individually and as part of organizations, since 1999.

Rustem Umerov was a 2007 founder of the Crimean Tatars Fellowship, which focuses on the representation of Crimean Tatars in Ukraine and dialogue within the community in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.

Rustem Umerov was co-founder and president of the Crimean Development Fund from 2011 to 2013.

Rustem Umerov became a co-founder and board member of the Crimean International Business Association in 2012.

Rustem Umerov's family funded the restoration of the 17th-century Orta Cami Mosque in Bakhchysarai to regain Crimea's cultural and historical heritage.

In 2013, Rustem Umerov co-founded the ASTEM Foundation to improve public life via social innovation, regional communities, education, medicine, sports, culture, human rights, and religious freedom.

Rustem Umerov co-founded the Evkaf Foundation in 2014 to help develop Muslim communities.

Rustem Umerov is a co-founder and board member of the Crimean National Welfare Fund.

Rustem Umerov later stated that he was "fine", and asked people not to trust "unverified information".

Rustem Umerov is fluent in Ukrainian, Russian, English and Turkish.

Rustem Umerov has elementary proficiency in Arabic and Crimean Tatar.