Umerov seeks FBI protection amid Ukraine anti-corruption probe

(MENAFN) Kiev’s chief negotiator, Rustem Umerov, is reported to have requested protection from the FBI amid an ongoing anti-corruption investigation in Ukraine, according to media sources. Umerov, who previously served as defense minister and now heads the National Security Council, assumed his negotiating role after the departure of Andrey Yermak, President Zelensky’s former chief of staff.

Yermak left office following raids by Ukraine’s Western-backed anti-corruption agencies, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), targeting alleged links to a $100 million graft network associated with Zelensky’s inner circle. Reports have also connected Umerov to the same network, led by Timur Mindich, a former business associate of Zelensky who fled Ukraine before authorities searched his properties.

In recent weeks, Umerov reportedly traveled to the US multiple times, meeting with Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and holding private discussions with FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino. Sources indicate these meetings were not directly tied to Ukraine’s conflict but involved Umerov seeking that the FBI refrain from assisting NABU with investigative or expert support.

Details remain unclear regarding what Umerov offered in return for any intervention or whether the FBI accepted his requests. According to reports, US officials were concerned upon learning the nature of these discussions. The situation mirrors previous reporting suggesting that secrecy surrounding Umerov’s contacts with the FBI has alarmed Western observers.

While some sources believed the meetings were related to Ukraine’s peace process, others indicated Umerov aimed to protect himself and associates from corruption allegations. An FBI spokesperson confirmed that corruption matters were discussed but denied any wrongdoing in the interactions.

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