Oleksandr Kikhtenko

Oleksandr Kikhtenko
Олександр Кіхтенко
Kikhtenko in 2015
Governor of Donetsk Oblast
In office
10 October 2014 – 11 June 2015
PresidentPetro Poroshenko
Preceded bySerhiy Taruta (acting)
Succeeded byPavlo Zhebrivskyi
Commander of the Internal Troops of Ukraine
In office
16 February 2005 – 6 April 2010
PresidentViktor Yushchenko
Viktor Yanukovych
Preceded bySerhiy Popkov
Succeeded byVolodymyr Vorobyov
Personal details
Born(1956-04-05)5 April 1956
Bohodukhiv, Kharkiv Oblast, Ukrainian SSR, USSR
Died16 October 2024(2024-10-16) (aged 68)
Political partyStrength and Honor
Alma materFrunze Military Academy (1991)
Military service
Allegiance Soviet Union
 Ukraine
Branch/serviceInternal Troops
Years of service1974–2010
RankGeneral of the Army
CommandsInternal Troops

Oleksandr Tymofiyovych Kikhtenko (Ukrainian: Олександр Тимофійович Кіхтенко; 5 April 1956 – 16 October 2024) was a Ukrainian military leader and politician. He was a career officer of the Internal Troops of Ukraine and a General of Army of Ukraine (2008).

Kikhtenko served in the army since 1974 first in the Soviet Army and then in the Ukrainian Army. In 1978 Kikhtenko graduated from the Frunze College of General Command (Omsk). In 1991 he graduated the faculty of intelligence of the M. V. Frunze Military Academy (Moscow).

After fall of the Soviet Union, Kikhtenko continued to serve the Armed Forces of Ukraine and was a chief of the Internal Troops administration in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Since February 2005 he served as Commander of the Internal Troops of Ukraine during the presidency of Viktor Yushchenko, in 2007–2008 and 2010 Kikhtenko unprecedentedly was a member of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine.

After election of Viktor Yanukovych as President of Ukraine in 2010, Kikhtenko was fired and retired from military service. On 10 October 2014, newly elected President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko appointed Kikhtenko as a governor of Donetsk Oblast.[1] In 2014 he also topped the party list of the Strength and Honor party for the Ukrainian parliamentary election.

On 11 June 2015, Kikhtenko was dismissed as a governor and replaced by Pavlo Zhebrivskyi.[2]

Kikhtenko died on 16 October 2024, at the age of 68.[3]

  1. ^ Petro Poroshenko presented new Head of Donetsk RSA Oleksandr Kikhtenko. President of Ukraine website.
  2. ^ Ukraine's president appoints new governor to conflict hit Donetsk region, Ukraine Today (11 June 2015)
    Березина, Настя (11 June 2015). "Порошенко уволил губернатора Донецкой области" (in Russian). rbc.ru. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  3. ^ "Відійшов у вічність Олександр Кіхтенко, колишній голова Донецької ОДА". dn.gov.ua. 16 October 2024. Retrieved 17 October 2024.