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The Rise of J. P. Morgan - Explained Like You're Five

CORRUPTION: Ukraine Defense Minister Rustem Umanov. . .Rustem Umerov “made a fortune” supervising the sale of government property

A year after Rustem Umerov’s appointment as Ukraine’s Minister of Defense, which was initially welcomed by civil society organizations, a scathing critique of the ministry’s operations has emerged.
The report, published by Ukrainska Pravda on 6 September 2024, and authored by prominent civil society leaders Daria Kaleniuk, Maria Berlinska, and Alyona Getmanchuk, outlines systemic failures in key areas of defense management and paints a picture of a ministry struggling with inefficiency and disorganization.

The authors recall the high hopes that accompanied Umerov’s appointment on 6 September 2023. He replaced Oleksii Reznikov, who had been badly affected by two corruption scandals and routinely targeted by a large-scale disinformation campaign.

Now in the news from Ukraine TV

Ukraine and U.S. Begin Consultations on Possible Parameters of Future Peace Agreement – Umerov

Published: 22 Nov / 2025 20:07

Consultations between senior Ukrainian and U.S. officials on the possible parameters of a future peace agreement are beginning this week, Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov announced on Facebook, UATV English reports.

Umerov emphasized that Ukraine is approaching the process with a clear understanding of its national interests.

“This is the next stage of dialogue, which has been ongoing in recent days, and is primarily aimed at aligning our vision of the next steps. We value the participation of the U.S. side and their readiness for substantive discussion. Ukraine will continue to act responsibly, professionally, and consistently — as required by our national security,” Umerov said.

Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed on 21 November that his administration has set the upcoming Thursday as the deadline for Ukraine to agree to the White House plan to end Russia’s war.

On the same day, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Ukraine could face the risk of losing a key partner or compromising its dignity. He pledged to work toward establishing a constructive dialogue with its main international partners.

On 22 November, Zelenskyy signed a decree establishing Ukraine’s delegation to participate in negotiations with the United States, other international partners, and representatives of Russia to achieve a just and lasting peace.

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21 hours ago

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Friday, September 08, 2023

Report: Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov is “even more corrupt” than his predecessor Aleksey Reznikov

Rustem Umerov “made a fortune” supervising the sale of government property, the American journalist has reported

Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov is
Reznikov was dismissed by Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky earlier this week, with Umerov confirmed as his replacement on Wednesday.

Reznikov and his subordinates have been implicated in numerous graft scandals, including a scheme by which his ministry purchased substandard winter uniforms for inflated prices from a Turkish supplier owned by a Ukrainian contact.

“The new guy is even more corrupt,” Hersh quoted a “knowledgeable US intelligence official” as saying. “He ran the sale of government property and made a fortune. Has a huge villa in Majorca.”

The source claimed that Umerov’s name was not on a list of 35 corrupt officials allegedly presented to Zelensky by CIA Director William Burns in January. Zelensky fired a host of senior officials and administrators after meeting Burns, although Reznikov defied media speculation to stay in his post. The existence of Burns’ list was first revealed by Hersh in April.

“The list was not a telephone book of crooks; just the ones receiving US military and economic financing,” Hersh’s source said on Thursday.

The statement backs up earlier claims that Zelensky’s purge was carried out at Washington's request, with the US seemingly keen to stop the misappropriation of its aid.

Umerov’s appointment was welcomed by the Western media. Prior to taking over Reznikov’s post, Umerov had served as head of Ukraine’s state property agency, where the Washington Post said he “gained praise for instituting massive audits and weeding out alleged corruption and misappropriation of funds.”

However, Umerov and two of his former deputies at the agency are currently the subject of a corruption investigation, Ukrainian media reported on Wednesday.

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THE FOLLOWING REPORT IS FROM SEPTEMBER 9, 2024

Ukraine’s defense ministry under fire for “management chaos” a year after leadership change

Despite initial optimism, Ukraine’s defense sector under Minister Rustem Umerov grapples with procurement inefficiencies, international cooperation failures, and a lack of strategic planning, according to a critical report by civil society leaders.

byAlya Shandra

14/09/2024

3 minute read

Ukraine launches military ombudsman to safeguard troops' rights

Ukraine’s Defense minister Rustem Umerov and ombudsman Dmytro Lubynets. Photo: the Defense Ministry

Ukraine’s defense ministry under fire for “management chaos” a year after leadership change
Source:Summarized from Ukrainska Pravda

The report delves into three critical areas where the ministry has fallen

short:overalmanagement structure
defense procurement
international cooperation.

1 Regarding the ministry’s structure, the authors argue that despite Umerov’s stated priority of rebuilding the ministry’s role in coordinating all defense forces, little progress has been made. They state, “the Ministry of Defense still remains a ministry subordinate to the Armed Forces, and the minister himself does not dare to make decisions that may not be liked by the General Staff.”
This lack of clear leadership and coordination is seen as a fundamental flaw in the ministry’s operations.

2 In the realm of defense procurement, the article notes some positive developments, such as the creation of the State Tail Operator (DOT) and the Defense Procurement Agency (AOZ). These agencies have shown promise in reducing corruption and achieving significant savings in defense budgets.

However, the authors point out persistent issues, including overlapping responsibilities and delays in the procurement cycle. They state, “As of August 2024, the list on the basis of which the Defense Procurement Agency has the right to buy weapons and other equipment for the army is formed after consultations with the General Staff by the discredited Department of Military Technical Policy (DVTP).” This department, they note, has been involved in questionable procurement practices in the past and continues to wield significant influence.

3 International cooperation is described as a “total failure” in the article
The authors claim that “the delay in establishing international cooperation, namely the elementary absence of a profile deputy for eight months and, accordingly, professional coordination of work on international military assistance, cost [Ukraine] billions of dollars in aid for weapons.”

They point out that the ministry lacks basic internal expertise regarding foreign military aid budget programs for Ukraine, contrasting this with Israel’s defense ministry, which employs over 100 top specialists to manage US military aid alone.
A critical issue highlighted in the report is the absence of a realistic war plan coordinated with all defense forces and effectively communicated to international partners.

The authors state, “The main problem of the failed international work of the Ministry of Defense is the absence of a realistic war plan formed in coordination with all defense forces and qualitatively communicated with international partners.”

This lack of strategic planning and communication has reportedly led to unrealistic requests for equipment totaling trillions of dollars, which partners cannot fulfill due to lack of available stock or production capacity.

The report also criticizes the ministry’s approach to international relations, particularly its focus on Türkiye at the expense of relations with the United States. The authors note that while the minister has made multiple trips to Ankara, the ministry has failed to effectively engage with US defense procurement programs such as Foreign Military Sales and Foreign Military Finance, which could provide significant benefits to Ukraine.

Despite these criticisms, the authors acknowledge some achievements under Umerov’s leadership.
They note significant progress in army digitalization, describing it as a “colossal leap” that puts Ukraine ahead of most NATO armies in this area.
They also commend the initiation of dismantling Soviet-era paper reporting and excessive bureaucracy, and the launch of procurement agencies that have already significantly reduced corruption margins.

However, the authors argue that these successes are insufficient and at risk due to the overall management issues.

They point out that even positive initiatives, such as the effectiveness of the Defense Procurement Agency, are being undermined by the minister’s failure to appoint its supervisory board for two months.

The article concludes with a stark warning:

“Management chaos always leads to defeat.
In the Ministry of Defense of a warring country, this can lead to the defeat of Ukraine.”
The authors stress that while they have only covered three key areas in their critique, the management chaos affects nearly all critical areas of the defense ministry’s operations"