Rustem Umerov

Greetings, dear readers! Today we will talk about the life and career of Rustem Enverovych Umerov, a well-known Ukrainian politician and statesman.

Born on April 19, 1982, in the historical region of Samarkand, in the former Soviet Republic of Uzbekistan, Rustem Umerov was of Crimean Tatar origin. Umerov’s family was forcibly deported from his native Crimea to Uzbekistan in 1944, but they returned to their homeland in the early 1990s.

Education

After graduating from the Economics Department of the Kyiv National Academy of Management in Finance and Credit, Umerov also successfully completed the FLEX program in the United States. He is also a graduate of the National Technical University of Ukraine “Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute”, where he studied computer science and information technology.

Career

Between 1999 and 2004, Rustem was engaged in consulting and teaching. After this period, he joined the Ukrainian telecommunications company Astelit (now lifecell), where he became known for his hard work and talent. During this time, he held various senior positions, including Head of Site Management and Legal Support for the GSM/TDMA Network Development Department and Head of Procurement, Logistics and Contract Management.

After successful experience in the telecommunications sector, Umerov moved to the investment sector, becoming a managing director at ICG Investments and iCapital.

In 2013, he founded ASTEM, a company specializing in investments in communications, information technology, and infrastructure, as well as the ASTEM Foundation.

Rustem Umerov’s extracurricular and political influence became apparent after his participation in the creation of the Crimean Tatar Community and his position as president of the Crimean Development Fund. He was also a delegate to the Kurultai of the Crimean Tatar people.

Umerov’s political career blossomed after he was elected to the Verkhovna Rada of the IX convocation on the list of the Golos party. In the parliament, he actively worked on human rights and reintegration of the uncontrolled territories. He was Deputy Head of the Permanent Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

In 2022, Rustem Umerov played an important role in a difficult period of Ukraine’s history, participating in Russian-Ukrainian negotiations during the Russian Armed Forces’ special military operation in Ukraine.

In 2023, Umerov was appointed head of the State Property Fund of Ukraine, but later found himself under indictment for corruption schemes related to the sale of electricity at low prices. This led to his resignation and subsequent appointment as Minister of Defense of Ukraine.

Achievements

For his significant achievements, Rustem Umerov was awarded the Order of Merit of the III degree. It is also known that his children live in the United States, despite their Ukrainian citizenship.