Never had a Crimean Tatar risen to such a high position in the history of independent Ukraine. And the country has never had such a young defense minister. The Ukrainian Parliament, the Rada, was to validate on Wednesday September 6 the appointment of Roustem Oumierov, 41, on the proposal of the president, Volodymyr Zelensky, formulated on Sunday, to replace Oleksii Reznikov.
The man, whose mission will be to ensure a continuous flow of Western weapons to the Ukrainian army in the face of an over-equipped Russian army, however, has no military experience.
Entrepreneur, senior civil servant, philanthropist, activist for the Crimean Tatar cause – a region annexed by Moscow in 2014 –, polyglot and reputedly skilful negotiator, Roustem Oumierov has before him a Herculean task: to clean up a Ministry of Defense where corrupt practices and embezzlement remain common a year and a half after the Russian invasion. If the military strategy on the ground is left to the staff, the new minister also takes office in a context marked on the ground by a difficult counter-offensive.
“Clever move by Mr. Zelensky”
The accession of Roustem Oumierov to a high office, at a crucial time for the country, delighted first and foremost the members of his community. “His promotion was a great surprise for me”, confides Aïder Moujdabaïev, deputy director of the ATR television channel, whose audience is made up of Crimean Tatars. “It was unimaginable, because the discrimination against the Crimean Tatars [0,5 % de la population ukrainienne] has always been very strong. This is great news for our people as a whole, and it is also a clever gesture on the part of Mr. Zelensky.”continues the journalist, known for his hostile positions towards the current Ukrainian president.
For Mr. Moujdabayev, who has met Roustem Oumierov several times during his career, “Volodymyr Zelensky trusted him because his reputation is beyond reproach. Umierov headed the Ukrainian State Property Fund for a year [FPEU] and never has he been splashed with scandal. » This organization responsible for the privatization of state assets is particularly the target of corruption attempts from large Ukrainian fortunes, generous in retrocommissions. “Leading the FPEU is a challenge, because contrary to what we think in the West, senior Ukrainian officials work under the magnifying glass of journalists and anti-corruption activists. It takes courage today to accept such functions. »
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