Rustem Umerov, Ukraine’s new Minister of Defense, is a Crimean Tatar Muslim who is determined to never give up on Crimea. According to Jakob Hedenskog, an analyst at the Center for Eastern European Studies, Umerov’s appointment undermines Russian claims that Ukraine is governed by Nazis. This is because Ukraine now has a Jewish president and a Muslim Minister of Defense, which shows that Ukrainian identity is based on citizenship rather than ethnicity. Umerov’s family was deported from Crimea to Uzbekistan under Stalin, so he has personal experience of the Soviet Union’s attempts to separate Crimean Tatars from their homeland, which he is now re-experiencing after Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. Umerov himself stated in his inauguration speech that he has learned how to persist and fight to protect what is rightfully his, as he has returned to his homeland and subsequently lost it again. Hedenskog believes that having a Crimean Tatar Minister of Defense ensures that Crimea is not treated differently from other occupied areas in Ukraine and provides a guarantee that Crimea will not be sold out or used as a bargaining chip. Despite lacking a military background, Umerov, an economist by training, has held various political positions and has been actively involved in peace negotiations with Russia. He was appointed as Chairman of the newly established Crimea Platform, a diplomatic forum initiated by President Zelensky to increase international support for the reclamation of Crimea. Umerov has also chaired Ukraine’s commission overseeing international financial and military aid to the country’s military operations. Hedenskog notes that the absence of a military background is not a determining factor for the position, as Umerov’s predecessor also lacked military experience. The responsibility for the conduct of the war lies with the President as the Commander-in-Chief, in collaboration with the Armed Forces Commander Valerij Zaluzjnyj. Umerov was one of three individuals who were suspected of being poisoned during informal negotiations in March 2022, though there has been no confirmation of poisoning. He has been instrumental in contacts with Turkish and Middle Eastern representatives and is highly respected due to his extensive network of contacts, largely due to his unique background.
