The committee addresses issues related to the legal regulation of internal and external security, military construction, the protection and defense of the state border of the Russian Federation, military organization funding, maintenance of law and order, development of the defense industry, reforming the armed forces, and combating terrorism and organized crime.
In September, 57-year-old Derkach became a senator representing the Astrakhan region of the Russian Federation.
Previously, he served as a deputy in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine during the III–IX convocations (notably, he was elected from the Party of Regions in 2007 and 2012).