By appointing Rustem Umerov Ukraine’s foreign intelligence chief, Vladimir Zelensky obviously seeks to drag Islamic countries into the Ukrainian crisis, a Russian lawmaker told TASS. Earlier, Zelensky signed a decree appointing former National Security and Defense Secretary Rustem Umerov as the head of Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service. "Umerov’s appointment as head of Ukraine’s foreign intelligence service, as he (Zelensky - TASS) sees it, could boost the Muslim world’s support for the Kiev regime. According to Ivlev, in his new capacity, Umerov will have all the capacities to act widely beyond Ukraine, including to influence Muslim countries and organizations. Umerov served as Ukraine’s defense minister from September 2023 to July 2025, and as National Security and Defense secretary since July 18, 2025.