Never before in the history of independent Ukraine has a Crimean Tatar held such a high position. And never before has the country had such a young minister of defense. Ukraine's parliament, the Rada, was due to approve the appointment of 41-year-old Rustem Umerov on Wednesday, September 6, at the suggestion of President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday, replacing Oleksii Reznikov.

Umerov will be entrusted to ensure a steady flow of Western weapons to the Ukrainian army in the face of an over-equipped Russian army, despite having no military experience whatsoever.

An entrepreneur, senior civil servant, philanthropist, activist for the cause of the Crimean Tatars (a region annexed by Moscow in 2014), polyglot and negotiator with a reputation for skill, Umerov has a Herculean task ahead of him. He will have to clean up a Ministry of Defense where corruption and embezzlement remain commonplace, a year and a half after Russia's invasion. While military strategy in the field is left to the general staff, the new minister is taking up his duties in a context marked on the ground by a difficult counter-offensive.

Umerov's rise, at a crucial time for the country, has mostly delighted members of his community. "His promotion was a tremendous surprise for me," said Aider Moujdabaiev, deputy director of the ATR TV channel, whose audience is made up of Crimean Tatars. "It was unimaginable because discrimination against Crimean Tatars [0.5% of the Ukrainian population] has always been very strong. This is excellent news for our entire people, and it's also a smart move on Zelensky's part," continued the journalist, known for his hostile stance toward the current Ukrainian president.

Moujdabaiev, who crossed paths with Umerov several times during his career, said, "Zelensky trusted him because his reputation is beyond reproach. Umerov headed the Ukrainian State Property Fund (SPFU) for a year, and he was never tainted by scandal." This body, which is responsible for privatizing state property, is a particular target for attempts at corruption by wealthy Ukrainians, who are generous with commissions. "Managing the SPFU is a challenge, because contrary to what people think in the West, senior Ukrainian officials work under the microscope of journalists and anti-corruption activists. It takes courage these days to accept such positions."

Moujdabaiev, whose younger brother studied with Umerov at one of Crimea's best schools, remembers him as "a very hard-working and gifted boy." He later rubbed shoulders with the future minister when, from 2007, the latter became an advisor to the Chairman of the Assembly (Majlis) of the Crimean Tatars, Mustafa Djemilev. The famous Soviet dissident, now 79, introduced Umerov to several chancelleries (Turkey, Gulf states, United States), enabling the young advisor to build up a vast network of political support. "Umerov has many influential friends in the US State Department," assured the journalist.

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