Anatoliy Gricenko Minister of Defense of Ukraine, politician Date of Birth: 25.10.1957 Country: Ukraine

1. Early Life and Education
2. Career in Politics and Achievements as Defense Minister
3. Controversies and Scandals
4. Current Activities and Political Campaign

Anatoliy Hrytsenko: Ukrainian Politician and Former Minister of Defense

Anatoliy Hrytsenko is a prominent Ukrainian politician and member of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, representing the bloc "Our Ukraine - People's Self-Defense." He has had a long and distinguished career in politics, serving as the Minister of Defense in three consecutive cabinets from February 4, 2005. Currently, he is the Chairman of the National Security and Defense Committee of the Verkhovna Rada.

Early Life and Education

Anatoliy Hrytsenko was born on October 25, 1957, in the village of Bohachivka in the Zvenyhorodka district of the Cherkasy region. He began his military education at the Kyiv Suvorov Military School, where he graduated with a gold medal, and continued his studies at the Kyiv Higher Aviation Engineering School. In 1993, Hrytsenko completed his education at the Institute of Foreign Languages under the Ministry of Defense of the United States, followed by the Operational-Strategic Faculty of the United States Air Force University a year later.

Career in Politics and Achievements as Defense Minister

In June 2004, Anatoliy Hrytsenko joined Viktor Yushchenko's electoral headquarters during his presidential campaign and played a key role in developing Yushchenko's pre-election program. On February 4, 2005, Hrytsenko was appointed as the Minister of Defense of Ukraine. He held this position under three different prime ministers: Yulia Tymoshenko, Yurii Yekhanurov, and Viktor Yanukovych. Notably, Hrytsenko was the first minister to start paying for the use of official transportation.

One of Hrytsenko's significant achievements as Minister of Defense was the transfer of 6,537 apartments to servicemen in 2005, during his first year in office. However, he faced numerous controversies and attacks from his political opponents during his tenure. He was accused of misappropriation of funds allocated to the Ministry of Defense, inefficiency in combating corruption and violations in the military. Despite these allegations, no criminal cases were filed against him.

Controversies and Scandals

Throughout his time as Minister of Defense, Anatoliy Hrytsenko faced several controversies and harsh criticism for his radical statements. He advocated for the legalization of firearms in Ukraine, which drew strong opposition. Hrytsenko also had a background in military service, having served as the head of a service group in a military unit in Akhtyrka. He later worked as a professor at the Kyiv Higher Military Aviation Engineering School and held various staff positions at the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.

Current Activities and Political Campaign

After leaving the position of Minister of Defense on December 18, 2007, Hrytsenko became the head of the All-Ukrainian public organization "Civil Position" on December 11, 2008. He was a member of the "Batkivshchyna" faction until 2014. Hrytsenko is currently a lecturer at the Department of Political Science at the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.

In his presidential campaign in 2019, Hrytsenko aimed to restore professionalism, honesty, and conscience to the government. He promised to initiate a tough fight against corruption from the first day of his presidency. His goal was to return Ukraine to the forefront of European leadership. Hrytsenko's campaign slogan was "Our goal is to surpass the leaders of Europe!" He also pledged to reclaim the occupied territories of Donbas and Crimea within a five-year presidential term, using diplomatic, military, economic, and sanction measures with the support of international partners.

Personal Wealth and Assets
In his 2017 electronic declaration, Anatoliy Hrytsenko's wife, journalist Yuliya Mostovaya, declared ownership of two land plots and a country house in the Kyiv region. The total area of these properties amounted to 8,536.4 square meters. Additionally, Mostovaya is registered as the owner of four apartments in Kyiv with a total area of almost 280 square meters, while Hrytsenko himself declared another apartment in Kyiv with an area of 56.2 square meters.

In terms of income, Hrytsenko reported an annual pension of 139,620 hryvnias and a salary of 14,885 hryvnias. He also declared ownership of a 2013 Volvo XC90 car and a YAMAHA VX700 jet ski. His wife owns a 2016 Toyota RAV4.

Overall, Anatoliy Hrytsenko has had a diverse and eventful career in Ukrainian politics, serving as a leading figure in the defense sector and advocating for reforms and integrity within the government.