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Alexander KikhtenkoUkrainian military leader and statesman, army general
Date of Birth: 05.04.1956
Country:  Ukraine |
Content:
- Early Life and Military Career
- Post-Soviet Career
- Rise to General Rank
- Role as Donetsk Oblast Governor
- Resignation and Dismissal
- Awards and Honors
- - Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, Fifth Class
Early Life and Military Career
Alexander Kikhtenko was born in 1957 in the Ukrainian SSR, now Ukraine. He began his military service in the Soviet Army in 1974. In 1978, he graduated from the Omsk Higher Combined Arms Command School named after M.V. Frunze. Following his graduation, he served in various officer positions, including platoon commander.
Post-Soviet Career
After the dissolution of the USSR, Kikhtenko continued his military service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In 1992, he commanded the Fourth Regiment of the National Guard of Ukraine and later became the head of the Internal Troops Directorate in the Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
In 2001, Kikhtenko was appointed First Deputy Commander of the Internal Troops of Ukraine and Chief of Staff, with the rank of Lieutenant General. In February 2005, he became Commander of the Internal Troops of Ukraine, and on March 24, 2006, was promoted to Lieutenant General.
Rise to General Rank
Kikhtenko's name became prominent during the Ukrainian political crisis in 2007 when he openly sided with Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko against his then superior, Minister of Internal Affairs Vasyl Tsushko. In April 2007, he was appointed to the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine and received the rank of General of the Army on August 23, 2008.
Role as Donetsk Oblast Governor
In the midst of the ongoing conflict in the Donbas region, Kikhtenko was appointed Chairman of the Donetsk Oblast State Administration on October 10, 2014. He relocated the administration to Kramatorsk on October 13, while maintaining essential services in other cities.
In 2015, Kikhtenko proposed restoring economic ties with Russian-occupied territories in Donbas, which sparked controversy. He later clarified that he meant restoring ties only with businesses formally registered in Ukrainian-controlled areas.
Resignation and Dismissal
Following criticism for his handling of defensive infrastructure in the region, Kikhtenko was issued a formal reprimand by President Petro Poroshenko on May 12. The Cabinet of Ministers proposed his dismissal on June 5, and he was ultimately removed from his position on June 11, 2015.
Awards and Honors
Throughout his career, Kikhtenko received numerous awards and medals, including:
- Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, Fifth Class
- Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, Second and Third Class- Order of Danylo Halytsky
- Medal "For Military Service to Ukraine"
- Medal "Defender of the Fatherland (Ukraine)"
- Medal "70 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR"
- Medal "For Impeccable Service" (2nd and 3rd Class, USSR)
- Medal of Zhukov (Russian Federation)
