Vitaliy Zakharchenko

Vitaliy Yuriyovych Zakharchenko (Ukrainian: Віталій Юрійович Захарченко, Russian: Виталий Юрьевич Захарченко, born 20 January 1963)[4] is a Ukrainian and Russian[5] politician who is a senior consultant at Russia's Rostec state corporation. He previously served as Ukraine's Minister of Internal Affairs[6][7] from 7 November 2011 until he was suspended from his duties by the Ukrainian parliament on 21 February 2014.[8] His position as Minister of the Interior, had given him control over the Ukrainian national police service, the Militsiya. One day prior to his dismissal, he had signed a decree calling for the police to be armed with combat weapons, to be used in their ongoing battles against protesters in Kyiv's Maidan Nezalezhnosti.[9] The Council of the European Union sanctioned him effective 6 March 2014 for misuse of public funds and human rights violations (Decision 2014/119/CFSP), and the United States sanctioned him effective 22 December 2015 (81 FR 69190).

In this name that follows Eastern Slavic naming conventions, the patronymic is Yuriyovych and the family name is Zakharchenko.

Vitaliy Zakharchenko
Віталій Захарченко
Виталий Захарченко
Zakharchenko in 2013
Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine
In office
7 November 2011 – 21 February 2014
Preceded byAnatolii Mohyliov
Succeeded byArsen Avakov (Acting)
Head of the State Tax Service of Ukraine
In office
25 December 2010 – 7 November 2011
PresidentViktor Yanukovych
Prime MinisterMykola Azarov
Personal details
Born (1963-01-20) 20 January 1963
Kostiantynivka, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
(now Ukraine)
NationalityRussian
Ukrainian (until 2023)
Political partyIndependent[1][2]
SpouseLyudmyla[3]
Children2 daughters[3]
Military service
Allegiance Soviet Union
 Ukraine
Branch/service Ministry of Internal Affairs
Years of service1981
RankMajor general

Biography

Vitaliy Zakharchenko[10] was born in Kostiantynivka, in the Ukrainian SSR of the Soviet Union. He was graduated from the Riga branch of the Minsk Higher School of Interior of the USSR in 1991.[11][12] He began his career with the police in the Donetsk Oblast in July 1981.[10][12][13] From May 2008 to June 2010 he held leading positions in the State Tax Administration in Poltava Oblast.[12] President Viktor Yanukovych appointed Zakharchenko as head of the State Tax Administration of Ukraine on 25 December 2010.[10][14] On 7 November 2011 the president appointed him Minister of Internal Affairs, replacing Anatolii Mohyliov who had been named the new Prime Minister of Crimea;[6][7] simultaneously, Yanukovych appointed Oleksandr Klymenko as head of the State Tax Administration of Ukraine.[15] According to Ukrainian media Zakharchenko is a close friend of President Yanukovych' son, Viktor Viktorovych Yanukovych,[10][12][13] though President Yanukovych, through his press service, denied that he appointed individuals to top government positions based on their personal loyalty and closeness to his family rather than qualifications.[16] Since Zakharchenko was an officer of the Interior Ministry, he was not allowed to be a member of a political party.[1][2]

There is a suspicion that the minister owned the single active golden ore deposit in Muzhievo, Zakarpattia Oblast.[17]

The Ukrainian parliament suspended Zakharchenko from his duties on 21 February 2014 for using violence against protesters in the February 2014 Euromaidan riots.[8][18][19] Five days later an arrest warrant was put out for him and he is currently wanted on murder charges.[20][21] Since then he was last seen in Russia on 13 April 2014 during a joint press conference with Viktor Yanukovych and former Prosecutor General of Ukraine Viktor Pshonka in Rostov-on-Don.[22]

According to Krymedia.ru, on 16 January 2015 Zakharchenko was planning to arrive in Sevastopol for a celebration of establishment of Berkut police anti-riots unit and present his charity fund "Yugo-Vostok" (South-East).[23] The same day, Zakharchenko announced that he acquired Russian citizenship.[24]

He was stripped of his Ukrainian citizenship on 4 February 2023.[25]

References
  1. Crimean prime minister planning to join Regions Party again, Kyiv Post (9 November 2011)
  2. Могилев, Анатолий. Lenta.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  3. (in Ukrainian) ЗАХАРЧЕНКО ВІТАЛІЙ ЮРІЙОВИЧ - ГЕНЕРАЛ-МАЙОР МІЛІЦІЇ, who-is-Who.ua
  4. (in Russian) Захарченко Виталий Юрьевич, Politrada
  5. Nechepurenko, Ivan (19 February 2015). "Ousted Ukraine Officials Enjoy Life of Luxury in Moscow". Themoscowtimes.com. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  6. Yanukovych appoints Mohyliov to Crimean post, Kyiv Post (7 November 2011)
  7. Chief tax officer Zakharchenko appointed interior minister of Ukraine, Kyiv Post (7 November 2011)
  8. interfax.com.ua/news/general/191757.html Rada suspends Acting Interior Minister Zakharchenko from his duties Archived 2013-07-29 at the Wayback Machine, Interfax-Ukraine (21 February 2014)
  9. Traynor, Ian; Walker, Shaun (20 February 2014). "Ukraine violence: dozens killed as protesters clash with armed police". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  10. (in Ukrainian) Податкову очолив Віталій Захарченко, BBC Ukrainian (December 25, 2010)
  11. Chief tax officer Zakharchenko appointed interior minister of Ukraine, Interfax Ukraine (7 November 2011)
  12. (in Russian) Захарченко Виталий Юрьевич, Информационно-аналитический центр "ЛІГА"
  13. (in Ukrainian) Любі друзі Олександра Януковича, Ukrayinska Pravda, (7 November 2011)
  14. Yanukovych reappoints Tax Administration head, Kyiv Post (25 December 2010)
  15. Deputy Tax Chief Klymenko tapped to head tax service, Interfax Ukraine (7 November 2011)
  16. Yanukovych denies favoring loyalists and ‘family’ in appointments, Kyiv Post (5 March 2012)
  17. Only gold deposit in Ukraine controls the partner Zaharchenko. Ukraiyinska Pravda. January 13, 2014
  18. Ukraine parliament votes to sack interior minister, The Daily Star (Lebanon) (21 February 2014)
  19. Tensions high at Kyiv protest camp despite ground-breaking deal, CTV News (21 February 2014)
  20. Андрей Семенов (30 July 2014). "Russia doesn't react to requests of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for Yanukovych's delivery, - Gerashchenko". News.pn. 46.975033;31.994583. Retrieved 23 February 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  21. "Yanukovych, Kliuyev, Pshonka, Zakharchenko, Yakymenko, Shuliak face murder charges - PGO". En.interfax.com.ua. 26 February 2014. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  22. Since giving Pshonka disappeared marble lions - journalist, Ukrayinska Pravda (5 November 2016)
  23. Zakharchenko will arrive in Sevastopol to celebrate establishment of Berkut Archived 2015-02-17 at the Wayback Machine. Ukrinform. 14 January 2015
  24. "Экс-глава МВД Захарченко получил гражданство РФ". BBC News Україна (in Russian). 16 January 2015. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
  25. "СМИ: Зеленский лишил гражданства Украины 10 человек". TACC. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
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