Mikhail Dobkin

Mykhailo "Mikhail" Markovych Dobkin (Ukrainian: Миха́йло Ма́ркович До́бкін; Russian: Михаил Маркович Добкин; Yiddish: מיכאל מאַרקאָוויטש דאָבקין‎; born 26 January 1970) is a Ukrainian politician, former governor of Kharkiv Oblast, former mayor of Kharkiv, and deputy of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

Dobkin was born into a Jewish family in Kharkiv. He graduated from the National University of Internal Affairs (degree in law) and Kharkiv National Economic University (majoring in international economics).

From 1993 till 2002 Dobkin was an entrepreneur and director of several businesses.

In his 2015 tax declaration Dobkin stated that he owned 12 luxury cars.

In the 2002 Ukrainian parliamentary election Dobkin was elected People's Deputy of Ukraine. First he was a member of the faction of For United Ukraine, later in the faction of Social Democratic Party of Ukraine (united) (he was a member of this party) and ended his legislature in the faction of Party of Regions. Since late 2005 Dobkin is a member of the political council of Party of Regions.

From March 2006 to March 2010 Dobkin was Mayor of Kharkov.

In March 2010 President Viktor Yanukovych appointed Dobkin Governor of Kharkiv Oblast.

In 2014, he formed a "Ukrainian Front" organisation, in support of President Viktor Yanukovych, stating the intention to "clean and purify our Ukrainian land of those who come here with plans for occupation." In February 2014, Dobkin called for Ukraine’s capital to be moved from Kiev to Kharkiv, and for a federal structure of government to be established in Ukraine. He also claimed that by late February 2014 "all peaceful protesters of Euromaidan had left" and that with the remaining protesters "Negotiations with them will be to no avail. They need to disarm, and those who resist and kill people physically destroyed".

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