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Oleksandr Kuzmuk | |
|---|---|
Олександр Кузьмук | |
.jpg) Kuzmuk in 2001 | |
| 4th and 7thMinister of Defence of Ukraine | |
| In office 24 September 2004 – 3 February 2005 | |
| President | Leonid Kuchma |
| Preceded by | Yevhen Marchuk |
| Succeeded by | Anatoliy Hrytsenko |
| In office 11 July 1996 – 24 October 2001 | |
| President | Leonid Kuchma |
| Preceded by | Valeriy Shmarov |
| Succeeded by | Volodymyr Shkidchenko |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1954-04-17)17 April 1954 (age 71) |
| Party | Party of Regions |
| Spouse | Lyudmila |
| Children | Ivan and Maria |
| Alma mater | Kharkiv Higher Armor Command College Malynovsky Military Academy of Armor Forces |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Soviet Union (to 1991) Ukraine |
| Branch/service | Soviet Army Ukrainian Ground Forces |
| Years of service | 1975–2019, 2022- |
| Rank | General of Army of Ukraine |
| Commands | 32nd Army Corps Ukrainian National Guard |
Oleksandr Ivanovych Kuzmuk (Ukrainian:Олекса́ндр Іва́нович Кузьму́к; born 17 April 1954) is a Ukrainian politician and military commander, who was a member of theParty of Regions and also served as Minister of Defence of Ukraine on two occasions, from 1996 to 2001 and from 2004 to 2005. Kuzmuk formerly commanded theNational Guard of Ukraine (1995–1996) and holds the highest rank in the Ukrainian military,General of the Army of Ukraine (1998).
Oleksandr Ivanovych Kuzmuk was born on 17 April 1954 into the family of military officer Ivan Fedorovych Kuzmuk (died 1973) and Rayisa Mykhailivna Kuzmuk, in the village of Diatylivka, in theSlavuta Raion ofKhmelnytskyi Oblast. In 1975, he graduated the Kharkiv Higher Armor Command College.
From 1975 to 1978, Kuzmuk served as platoon leader of armour forces, before becoming the commander of a tank company in 1978, and then deputy chief of staff of a tank regiment. From 1980 to 1983, he was an audit student in the command department of theMalinovsky Military Armored Forces Academy, inMoscow. After that, until 1988 Kuzmuk was an instructor at the academy, first as a commander of a battalion of tanks and special vehicles, then of a tank training regiment.
From 1988 to 1992, he served as deputy commander of a motor-rifle division. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, he joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine, becoming commander of a motor-rifle division. From 1993 to 1995, he was commander of the 32nd Army Corps and therefore the senior military chief of Crimea.
Over the course of his military career, Kuzmuk served in theGroup of Soviet Forces in Germany, and theBelorussian,Moscow,Leningrad,Carpathian, andOdessa Military Districts.
From 1995 to 1996, Kuzmuk was commander of theNational Guard of Ukraine and was appointed Minister of Defence. In late 2001, he finished his military career and became a politician by participating in the2002 Ukrainian parliamentary election on the party list of theFor United Ukraine! alliance. Soon after winning multiple seats in theVerkhovna Rada, however, the alliance collapsed, and Kuzmuk stayed with theLabour Ukraine party, an off-shot of theLabour Party of Ukraine. During that time in 2004, he was again appointed the Minister of Defence, while keeping his parliamentary seat. After theOrange Revolution, Kuzmuk lost his ministerial seat, and was replaced byAnatoliy Hrytsenko.
In the2012 Ukrainian parliamentary election, Kuzmuk was elected into the Verkhovna Rada as a member ofParty of Regions.[1]
In the2014 parliamentary election, Kuzmuk tried to win a seat through winning electoral district 38 situated inNovomoskovsk,Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, but failed, finishing in third place with 12.78% of the vote.[2] The announcement of the final result for electoral district 38 (won byVadym Nesterenko) was delayed until mid-November because Kuzmuk challenged the results in court, claiming Nesterenko was guilty of fraud and bribery of voters.[1]
In 2019, Kuzmuk was dismissed from the Armed Forces having reached the retirement age of 65. However, following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, he subsequently volunteered for the Territorial Defence.[3]
Kuzmuk has been awarded the following awards and decorations:[4]
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | National Guard Commander 1995–1996 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Commander of the 32nd Army Corps 1993–1995 | Succeeded by |
Prime-minister:Viktor Yushchenko First vice-premier-minister:Yuriy Yekhanurov Vice-premier-minister on issues of fuel and energy complex:Yulia Tymoshenko Vice-premier-minister:Mykhailo Hladiy Vice-premier-minister:Mykola Zhulynskyi
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