Year of birth: 1955. Ukrainian politician. Made a career in law enforcement services. In 2007 he was head of the Crimean Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine. From 2010 to 2011 – Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine. From 2011 and until Russian invasion – Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the ARC. Member of the Party of Regions, he was considered a representative of the so-called Donetsk clan. He was notable for his hard-line leadership style in the interests of the ruling regime, which earned him criticism from the local political communities – pro-Russian, pro-Ukrainian and the Crimean Tatar alike. He supported the Antimaidan. On 02/27/2014, he unsuccessfully tried to negotiate with the Russian servicemen who captured the Council of Ministers of the ARC. On the same day, the Crimean Parliament terminated his position as Prime Minister of the ARC.
