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Boris FilatovUkrainian politician, mayor of the city of Dnepr
Date of Birth: 07.03.1972
Country:  Ukraine |
Content:
- Early Life and Education
- Professional Career as a Lawyer
- Political Controversies
- Journalistic Activities
- Personal Interests
- Political Career
- Awards and Recognition
- 2008:Honored Journalist of Ukraine
- 2009:Order of the Pochaiv Mother of God
Early Life and Education
Borys Filatov was born in Dnipro, Ukraine, on March 7, 1972. He received an excellent education, graduating with honors from Dnipropetrovsk State University in 1993, earning degrees in history, social studies, and law. In 1997, he obtained a Ph.D. in Law from the Odessa National Law Academy.
Professional Career as a Lawyer
After completing his studies, Filatov embarked on a successful career as a lawyer. He worked as a legal consultant for businesses of various sizes and taught civil law at the Academy of Customs Service of Ukraine. In 2000, he became a certified attorney and established his own law firm.
Filatov gained notoriety for his involvement in high-profile legal cases, particularly those involving the interests of businessman Ihor Kolomoisky. As a result, he became known in the Ukrainian media as a "staff attorney" for the "Privat" group, specializing in corporate asset redistribution. In a 2006 interview, Gennadiy Korban referred to him as an "equal partner." However, Filatov denied these claims, citing his involvement in cases for other companies not related to "Privat."
Political Controversies
Throughout his law practice, Filatov often clashed with politicians supporting his opponents, including Inna Bogoslovska and Svyatoslav Oleynik (members of parliament), Volodymyr Yatsuba (chair of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration), and former Prime Minister Pavlo Lazarenko. His critics attempted to discredit him through negative media coverage, claiming a political smear campaign against him.
Journalistic Activities
In 2005, Filatov shifted his focus from law to journalism. From 2005 to 2010, he hosted and produced the television program "Gubernskiye Khroniki" on the regional 9 Kanal, believed to be affiliated with the "Privat" group.
"Gubernskiye Khroniki" became known for its hard-hitting investigative reports on the professional and public conduct of Ukrainian officials and politicians. During the 2006 election campaign, 9 Kanal was the only media outlet to lose its broadcasting license due to a lawsuit filed by the "Viche" party. In the 2006 elections, "Viche" received only 1.2% of the vote and soon disappeared from the political scene.
Filatov also produced investigative reports on former Ukrainian Prime Minister Pavlo Lazarenko, resulting in two television documentaries exposing the charges against him in the United States. He also published a book titled "The Lazarenko Phenomenon" in 2008.
In 2010, Filatov left 9 Kanal and began hosting "Gubernskiye Prognozy" for the Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Television and Radio Company (DOHTRK) on Kanal 51. Some observers interpreted this move as a break from the "Privat" group. This was indirectly confirmed by critical television segments and articles about Filatov initiated by 9 Kanal's management. Subsequently, 9 Kanal publicly apologized to their former employee.
After Filatov's transition to Kanal 51, he faced accusations of pursuing political opportunities. However, Filatov, who had never been a member of a political party, explained his decision differently. He claimed that the "Gubernskiye Khroniki" television project had run its course after five years. Furthermore, he attributed his unwillingness to continue the program, which openly criticized the government, to his friendship with the new Governor of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Oleksandr Vilkul. Vilkul allegedly proposed that he launch a new project on DOHTRK.
Filatov produced several travel documentaries, including "Yugoslav Chronicles" (2005), "Arab Chronicles" (2006), "American Chronicles" (2007), "Canadian Chronicles" (2008), "European Chronicles" (2009), and "African Chronicles" (2010-2011). He also published articles in regional and national publications and maintained a column on the website obozrevatel.com.ua.
Personal Interests
Outside of his professional pursuits, Filatov is an avid traveler, photographer, and art collector. He is particularly fascinated by Japanese culture and history. In May 2011, he was elected Chairman of the CIS branch of the International Netsuke Society, a position he held until April 2014.
Filatov has a deep passion for motorcycling and has traversed over 50 countries on his motorcycle. In 2010, he completed the "Project TransAfrica," a transcontinental motorcycle journey across eight African nations. He is also an enthusiastic scuba diver and has logged over 250 dives.
Filatov has been involved in various cultural projects, including "Nomads" and "Ukraine through the Eyes of Birds." He was also a participant in the Virgin Galactic space tourism program.
Political Career
In 2014, Filatov entered politics. He served as Deputy Chairman of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration for Internal Policy from March to November 2014. Subsequently, he was elected as a non-partisan member of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (Ukrainian Parliament).
In November 2015, Filatov was elected Mayor of Dnipro. He assumed office on November 27, 2015, and has served in that capacity since. As Mayor, Filatov has overseen significant infrastructure development projects and reforms aimed at improving the city's economy and quality of life for its residents.
Awards and Recognition
Filatov has received numerous awards and recognitions throughout his career. These include:
2008:Honored Journalist of Ukraine
2008:Order of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir "1020th Anniversary of the Baptism of Rus'"
2009:Order of the Pochaiv Mother of God
2010:Diploma of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia2010:Distinction of the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church
2014:Order "For Merits" III degree
