According to information circulating on November 17, Mr. Rustem Umerov - former Defense Minister, currently Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) of Ukraine - has stayed abroad to avoid a defense investigation about to be conducted by the anti-corruption agency.
Information published by Clash Report (Türkiye) said that Mr. Umerov had "ged back to Ukraine" amid a corruption scandal involving businessman Timur Mindich - a long-time collaborator of President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Umerov is said to have told Zelensky that he would not return and suddenly leave for Turkey on the grounds of negotiating a Prisoner exchange.
The time of this information's appearance has sparked speculation online, coinciding with Mr. Umerov's statement that Ukraine is promoting an exchange of 1,200 prisoners before the end of the year.
Before becoming Secretary of the NSDC, Mr. Umerov was Ukraine's Defense Minister, in charge of a field that is currently under close supervision.
Both the National Anti-Corruption Administration of Ukraine (NABU) and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) have hinted that the next investigation could focus on the defense sector, in the context that Mr. Umerov was the subject of another NABU investigation in early 2025.
However, also on November 17, the Center for Anti-Defense of Ukraine (CCD) denied the above information, calling it a deliberate attempt to undermine public trust.
In an official statement, CCD affirmed that the online accusations were untrue.
CCD said Umerov was on a planned working trip to the US, not Turkey, on November 17 to participate in a series of high-level consultations to strengthen international support for Ukraine.
According to the CCD, Mr. Umerov remains in regular contact with the Ukrainian leadership and continues to monitor key issues of security, defense and humanitarian policies.
The CCD urges citizens and media outlets not to diffuse unverified information, as it causes misunderstanding to society and serves the interests of hostile information campaigns against Ukraine.
Responding to the information from CCD, Clash Report wrote that " Sources in an interview with Clash Report said that there was no way Mr. Rustem Umerov did not intend to return to Ukraine", and said that "he would definitely return".
