Stepan Poltorak
Stepan Poltorak | |
|---|---|
Степан Полторак | |
 | |
| 14th Minister of Defence of Ukraine | |
| In office 14 October 2014 – 29 August 2019 | |
| President | Petro Poroshenko Volodymyr Zelensky |
| Preceded by | Valeriy Heletey |
| Succeeded by | Andriy Zahorodniuk |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Stepan Tymofiyovych Poltorak 11 February 1965 Vesela Dolyna, Odessa Oblast, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Soviet Union (1983–1991) Ukraine (1992–2018) |
| Branch/service |  Soviet Army Ukrainian Ground Forces |
| Years of service | 1983-2018 |
| Rank | General of the army of Ukraine |
| Commands |  National Academy of Internal Troops (2002–2014) Internal Troops/National Guard (2014) |
Stepan Tymofiyovych Poltorak (Ukrainian: Степан Тимофійович Полторак) is a Ukrainian general who served as the Minister of Defence of Ukraine from 14 October 2014 until 29 August 2019.[1] Previously he was the commander of the Internal Troops of Ukraine and National Guard of Ukraine.[2] Poltorak's rank was General of the army of Ukraine.[3] From 1 January 2019, Poltorak remained the country's defense minister as a civilian, after resigning from military service in October 2018.[4] Poltorak resigned at the request of newly inaugurated president Volodymyr Zelensky on 20 May 2019.[5]
Biography
Poltorak was born on 11 February 1965 in the village Vesela Dolyna (located in the Bolhrad Raion, Odesa Oblast).[2] He has served in the military since August 1983.[6] Poltorak is a graduate from Ordzhonikidzevsky highest military command college of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR.[6]
Poltorak has a Ph.D.[2] In 2003 he successfully defended his thesis on "Pedagogical conditions of the skills of the commander unit in the future officers of the Interior Ministry of Ukraine."[6]
In March 2002 Poltorak was appointed head of the Academy of the Interior Ministry of Ukraine in Kharkiv.[6][7]
On 28 February 2014 acting President of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov appointed Poltorak commander of the Internal Troops of Ukraine.[6]
When the National Guard of Ukraine was reestablished on 13 March 2014, Poltorak became its first commander on 15 April 2014.[8][2]
On 14 October 2014, Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada approved Poltorak's appointment as Ukraine's Minister of Defence.[9][10][11] , replacing Valeriy Heletey, who was appointed head of the State Security Administration after President Petro Poroshenko accepted his resignation.[12]
President Poroshenko accepted Poltorak's resignation from military service on 13 October 2018.[4] Poltorak stayed on as Minister of Defence.[4]
Poltorak resigned at the request of newly inaugurated president Volodymyr Zelensky on 20 May 2019.[5] His official tenure as Defence Minister ended on 29 August 2019 when Andriy Zahorodniuk was appointed his successor.[1]
Family and personal life
Poltorak is married to Inna (who is two years younger than him) and has an adult son called Ihor.[13] His wife is a captain at Poltorak former posting, the Academy of the Interior Ministry of Ukraine in Kharkiv.[13]
Awards and decorations
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References
- ^ a b "Квота Зеленського: Рада призначила міністра оборони".
- ^ a b c d Turchynov proposes parliament appoint Poltorak as National Guard commander, Interfax-Ukraine (19 March 2014)
- ^ "Про присвоєння військових звань".
- ^ a b c d Poltorak quits military service, continues to lead Defense ministry as civilian – Poroshenko, UNIAN (13 October 2018)
Poltorak quits military service to continue leading Ukrainian Defense Ministry as civilian, Interfax-Ukraine (13 October 2018) - ^ a b "Ukraine's Defence Minister Poltorak resigns".
- ^ a b c d e (in Ukrainian) Turchynov appointed a new commander of the Internal Troops Archived 2014-04-16 at the Wayback Machine, Espreso TV (28 February 2014)
- ^ (in Russian) Former head of the Kharkov Academy of Internal Troops became the commander of the National Guard, sq.com.ua (15 April 2014)
- ^ Parliament appoints Poltorak as commander of National Guard of Ukraine, Interfax-Ukraine (15 April 2014)
- ^ "Poltorak becomes Defense Minister". ukrinform.ua. 14 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
- ^ "Rada okays Poltorak's appointment as Ukrainian defense minister". Interfax-Ukraine. No. 14 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
- ^ "Rada approves Poltorak as defense chief". unian.info. 14 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
- ^ "Ukrainian Ex-Defense Minister Appointed Head of State Protection Service". RIA Novosti. 15 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
- ^ a b (in Russian) Poltorak's wife is the captain of the militia, Vesti (15 October 2014)
- ^ a b c d e f g (in Ukrainian) Biography on the official website of Kharkiv
- ^ (in Russian) Small biography, LB.ua (10 October 2016)
External links
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
- ^ About amendments to some legislative acts of Ukraine. Law of Ukraine. 13 March 2014
- 1965 births
- People from Odesa Oblast
- Living people
- Generals of the Army (Ukraine)
- Ivan Chernyakhovsky National Defense University of Ukraine alumni
- Defence ministers of Ukraine
- Heads of universities and colleges in Ukraine
- Recipients of the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, 3rd class
- People of the National Guard of Ukraine
- Ukrainian military personnel of the war in Donbas
- Recipients of the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, 1st class
- Recipients of the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, 2nd class