Former Interior Minister Klymenko to Become New Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council: Statement by Zelenskyy
17 July 15:02
On Friday, July 17, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with former Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko and offered him the position of head of the National Security and Defense Council. A corresponding decree on the appointment is currently being drafted. Zelenskyy announced this on Telegram, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
“I met with Igor Klymenko. I am grateful for his work within the Ministry of Internal Affairs. There were many difficult challenges, and his response was always effective. Igor Klymenko will continue to serve Ukraine in the field of protecting our state and its people. I have offered him the position of Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine. The corresponding decree on his appointment is already being prepared,” the post reads.
According to Zelenskyy, the main priority at this time is “the most effective coordination possible among all components of the security and defense sector and daily oversight of the implementation of decisions.” He also cited the coordination of defense production as a priority.
“The Government of Ukraine, our Defense and Security Forces, and the entire system of state institutions must operate exactly as necessary to achieve the defined national goals. A separate priority is the coordination of defense production,” the president emphasized.
Ihor Klymenko: What Is Known About Him
Ihor Klymenko was born on October 25, 1972, in Kyiv. From 1989 to 1994, he studied at the Kharkiv Military University. In 2014, he completed his master’s degree at Dnipropetrovsk State University of Internal Affairs, majoring in “Jurisprudence.” In June 2019, he earned a Ph.D. in Psychology.
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From 1994 to 1997, he served as the commander of a missile brigade unit (military unit A1667).
From 1998 to 2004, he served in law enforcement agencies as a psychologist, head of the department at the Center for Practical Psychology of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the Kharkiv region, and head of the Center for Practical Psychology of the Personnel Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.
From 2011, he served as deputy head and then head of the Personnel Inspection Directorate of the Main Directorate for Special Operations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.
From December 2011 to March 2014, he served as head of the Department of Professional Training and Education of the Main Directorate for Personnel of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.
In October 2013, he received a Candidate of Psychological Sciences degree in the specialty “Legal Psychology.”
Since 2014, he has served as Deputy Head of the Department of Personnel.
From 2015 to 2017, he headed the Department of Personnel Support of the National Police of Ukraine.
From October 2017, he served as Deputy Head of the National Police of Ukraine—Head of the Department of Human Resources, and in March 2018, he became Deputy Head of the National Police of Ukraine.
Since September 25, 2019, he has served as Head of the National Police of Ukraine.
On January 18, 2023, the government appointed Ihor Klymenko as Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs and tasked him with performing the duties of Minister of Internal Affairs following the death of the ministry’s leadership in a plane crash in Brovary.
On February 7, 2023, the Verkhovna Rada appointed Ihor Klymenko as Minister of Internal Affairs.
On July 16, 2025, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine voted to accept the resignation of Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. Upon the president’s recommendation, the new government team was headed by Yulia Svyrydenko, whom parliament confirmed as prime minister on July 17. At the same time, the updated composition of the Cabinet of Ministers was approved, with Igor Klymenko retaining his position as Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.
However, by July 2026, Klymenko had lost his position as minister. On July 16, the Verkhovna Rada appointed a new government, in which there was no place for Klymenko.
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