CNN —Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has tapped Rustem Umerov, a Crimean Tatar, to become his next defense minister, replacing Oleksii Reznikov at a critical time for Ukraine’s counteroffensive. Umerov will have a bulging in-tray if and when the Ukrainian parliament approves his appointment. The Defense Minister is also Ukraine’s main interlocutor with western allies through the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. Zelensky chose Umerov for the top defense job even though Umerov is not a member of his political party, the Servant of the People. I also explained to colleagues that they should have no hesitation because the invaders are coming to kill.”Rustem Umerov is expected to become Ukraine's next defense minister.

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Persons: CNN —, Volodymyr Zelensky, Rustem, Oleksii, Zelensky, Umerov, Stalin, Forbes, “, Catherine the Great, ”, Dogukan, Reznikov, –, impinge, ” Reznikov Organizations: CNN, Defense Ministry, Defense, Ukraine Defense Contact, US, Group, State Property Fund, Center, Humanitarian Dialog, Turkish, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Ukrainian Emerging, Stanford University, Analysts, NATO, Ukrainian Defense Ministry, Twitter Locations: Crimean, Kyiv, Ukraine, Russia, Uzbekistan, Crimea, Soviet, Russian, Saudi Arabia, Ukrainian, Norway, Turkey