Ukraine spy chief: Expanding international cooperation key priority

Ukraine's newly appointed head of the Foreign Intelligence Service (SZRU), Rustem Umerov, has said the agency will focus on expanding international cooperation, implementing the president's strategic initiatives, and further strengthening its capabilities as key priorities after taking office.

In a post on Facebook, he noted that one of the service's primary tasks will be reinforcing Ukraine's international security and defence partnerships while advancing international projects, including the Drone Deal program and the Freya anti-ballistic initiative, Caliber.Az reports.

Umerov also stressed that he intends to provide the Foreign Intelligence Service with the resources and conditions needed to improve its operational effectiveness.

“Today, the Foreign Intelligence Service has every opportunity to become an even stronger instrument for protecting Ukraine’s national interests. Over the past several years, we have built extensive international ties with the United States, the United Kingdom, Norway, European Union countries, partners across the Middle East and the Gulf, Türkiye, the South Caucasus, and beyond. This provides a strong foundation for further advancing security, intelligence, and defense cooperation,” he wrote.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov