Ukraine has appointed Ihor Klymenko to lead the country’s National Cybersecurity Coordination Center (NCCC), placing the former law enforcement official at the center of the government’s Ukraine cybersecurity coordination efforts. President Volodymyr Zelensky made the appointment through a decree dated September 14, 2026.
The National Cybersecurity Coordination Center operates under Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) and brings together government agencies responsible for cybersecurity. Klymenko’s appointment puts him in charge of the body responsible for coordinating the country’s response to major cyberthreats.
Ihor Klymenko Takes Over Cybersecurity Role
According to the presidential decree, Ihor Klymenko, identified in the document as the Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, has been appointed head of the NCCC. The decree changes the existing provision governing the leadership of the center and took effect upon publication.
Klymenko succeeds Rustem Umerov, who previously headed the National Cybersecurity Coordination Center. The leadership change comes as Ukraine continues to focus on protecting critical infrastructure and government systems amid ongoing security challenges.
The appointment gives Klymenko responsibility for a national body that coordinates cybersecurity activities across government agencies. The NCCC’s role places it within the country’s wider national security structure, linking cybersecurity coordination with the work of the NSDC.
Cybersecurity Coordination Expands Beyond Digital Systems
The appointment comes alongside a broader government focus on protecting critical infrastructure. In a September 15 address, Zelensky said a staff meeting had focused on protecting critical infrastructure, the energy system and logistics, with particular attention given to Ukraine’s railway network.
Zelensky said additional contracts would be issued for systems intended to strengthen the protection of railways, border crossings and other facilities operated by Ukrzaliznytsia, Ukraine’s state railway operator. He said decisions on those contracts had already been made.
The president also discussed efforts to protect Ukraine from attack drones, saying interceptor systems were being developed and tested. He reported that another Ukrainian interceptor solution had successfully hit a Shahed drone during testing, although technical aspects still required refinement.
According to Zelensky, interceptor crews achieved a 93% interception rate against regular Shaheds during the previous night. He said the government was directing state resources and funding toward additional forms of protection against attack drones.
Ukraine Cybersecurity Efforts Under National Security Structure
The NCCC’s position within the National Security and Defense Council places cybersecurity coordination within Ukraine’s broader national security framework. The center brings together government agencies responsible for cybersecurity and is tasked with coordinating responses to major cyberthreats.
The leadership change therefore places Klymenko at the head of a body responsible for coordinating government-level cybersecurity activity, while Ukraine continues to strengthen protections for critical infrastructure and other essential systems.
The presidential decree does not provide further details about changes to the NCCC’s mandate or announce specific new cybersecurity programs following Klymenko’s appointment. It formally establishes his leadership of the center following Umerov’s tenure.
