Zelenskyy Replaces First Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council—Who Is Serhiy Naumenko?
17 August 23:51
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, by Decree No. 728/2026, appointed Police Colonel Serhiy Naumenko as first deputy secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine. In an official statement from the NSDC, he was described as an officer with many years of service and combat experience, according to "Komersant Ukrainian"
In his new position, Naumenko is tasked with strengthening coordination among the various components of the security and defense sector, developing technological capabilities, and contributing to the formulation of decisions necessary for the state’s resilience.
Who Naumenko Replaced at the NSDC
Prior to appointing Serhiy Naumenko, Zelenskyy dismissed Yevhen Ostryansky from the position of First Deputy Secretary of the NSDC. The decree did not specify the reasons for this personnel decision.
Ostryansky had served as First Deputy Secretary of the NSDC since October 2025. He was responsible for the military sector, coordinating cooperation with the Security and Defense Forces, and preparing meetings of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief’s Headquarters.
Serhiy Naumenko was dismissed from his position as Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs prior to joining the National Security and Defense Council.
What tasks has Serhiy Naumenko been assigned?
NSDC Secretary Ihor Klymenko stated that he knows Naumenko well from their joint work within the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Among the new first deputy’s top priorities, he cited:
- strengthening coordination in the security and defense sectors;
- developing technological capabilities;
- developing solutions to strengthen the state’s resilience;
- establishing cooperation between the military, law enforcement agencies, and other government institutions.
The exact division of responsibilities may still be refined. According to the regulations governing the NSDC Secretariat, the Council’s secretary is responsible for allocating duties between the first deputy and other deputies.
What Naumenko Did at the Ministry of Internal Affairs
Since September 2025, Serhiy Naumenko has served as Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs. In this role, he coordinated areas directly related to defense and the protection of critical infrastructure.
His responsibilities included:
- developing policy in the area of state border protection;
- coordinating work with the National Guard;
- developing aviation security;
- deployment of aviation and unmanned aerial vehicle units;
- training of flight personnel;
- coordinating aviation enterprises within the Ministry of Internal Affairs system;
- developing electronic intelligence and countermeasures systems.
Prior to his appointment as deputy minister, Naumenko headed the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Department of Aviation Security.
This experience aligns with the technological areas that the National Security and Defense Council is developing in response to massive Russian attacks. In particular, on August 17, an interagency meeting was held at the Council’s Secretariat regarding interceptor drones capable of countering jet-powered unmanned aerial vehicles.
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What combat experience does Naumenko have?
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, in the early days of the full-scale invasion, Naumenko formed an aerial reconnaissance team. Its work helped identify Russian forces on the outskirts of Kyiv and contributed to the defense of the capital.
During an artillery attack in Rubizhne, Naumenko was wounded but continued to carry out combat missions.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs reported his participation in battles in Sieverskodonetsk, Lysychansk, Izyum, Balakliya, Kupiansk, Vuhledar, Maryinka, and Bakhmut.
Naumenko holds the rank of police colonel. He was 46 years old at the time of his appointment.
Why Experience in Countering Drones Is Important for the National Security and Defense Council
While working at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Naumenko oversaw a system for countering modern aerial threats, developed by the ministry’s units in collaboration with other components of the defense sector.
It combines:
- unmanned aerial vehicle systems;
- electronic intelligence;
- electronic warfare capabilities;
- airspace monitoring;
- mobile fire teams;
- automated information exchange.
In May 2026, Naumenko stated that the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Defense were forming a joint ecosystem to counter aerial threats.
Therefore, his move to the National Security and Defense Council may indicate a strengthening of the Council’s focus on technology and counter-drone efforts.
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