Oleksandr Oleksandrovych Omelchenko ( uk, Олександр Олександрович Омельченко; 9 August 1938 – 25 November 2021) was a Ukrainian politician who served as

mayor of Kyiv The Head of Kyiv City ( uk, Київський міський голова, translit=Kyivskyi miskyi holova), unofficially and more commonly the Mayor of Kyiv ( uk, Мер Києва, translit=Mer Kyieva), is a city official elected by popular ...

, the capital of Ukraine, first elected in 1999. Running for a third term he lost his re-election bid in March 2006. Omelchenko was also a

People's Deputy of Ukraine People's, branded as ''People's Viennaline'' until May 2018, and legally ''Altenrhein Luftfahrt GmbH'', is an Austrian airline headquartered in Vienna. It operates scheduled and charter passenger flights mainly from its base at St. Gallen-Alten ...

from 2007 to 2012. Omelchenko was the President of both the Association of the Cities of Ukraine and the Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine (1997–2006). In 2001, he bought

FC CSKA Kyiv FC CSKA Kyiv ( uk, "ЦСКА Київ") is a Ukrainian amateur football club, until 2001 of the Central Sports Club of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which is government sponsored by the Ministry of Defense. As its farm team CSKA-2 Kyiv, in 1994� ...

from the

Ministry of Defense {{unsourced, date=February 2021 A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in state ...

and transformed it into

FC Arsenal Kyiv Football Club Arsenal Kyiv () is a Ukrainian football club based in Kyiv. In 2019, the club's professional team was dissolved, but its junior teams continue to compete in city competitions. The club claims to be a successor of Kyiv Arsenal fac ...

. Omelchenko died on 25 November 2021, aged 83, after being infected with

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quickly ...

which caused a

lesion A lesion is any damage or abnormal change in the tissue of an organism, usually caused by disease or trauma. ''Lesion'' is derived from the Latin "injury". Lesions may occur in plants as well as animals. Types There is no designated classif ...

of the

lungs The lungs are the primary organs of the respiratory system in humans and most other animals, including some snails and a small number of fish. In mammals and most other vertebrates, two lungs are located near the backbone on either side ...

.Kyiv ex-mayor Omelchenko dies
Interfax-Ukraine (25 November 2021) From 2014 until his death he was a member of the

Kyiv City Council Kyiv City Council ( uk, Київська міська рада, translit=Kyivska miska rada), also known as Kyivrada ( uk, Київрада), is the city council of Kyiv municipality, the highest representative body of the city community. The me ...

Early life

Oleksandr Omelchenko was born on 9 August 1938, in

Vinnytsia Oblast Vinnytsia Oblast ( uk, Ві́нницька о́бласть, translit=Vinnytska oblast; ; also referred to as Vinnychchyna — uk, Ві́нниччина) is an oblast of western and southwestern Ukraine. Its administrative center is Vinnytsia. ...

.Former Kyiv mayor Oleksandr Omelchenko has died
(25 November 2021) His highest degree in the Soviet university education system was

Candidate of Sciences Candidate of Sciences (russian: кандидат наук, translit=kandidat nauk) is the first of two doctoral level scientific degrees in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States. It is formally classified as UNESCO's ISCED level 8, "d ...

. After graduation, Omelchenko worked at Kyivmiskbud, where he rose from worker to director of the plant of reinforced concrete structures. He also became the chief engineer of the construction plant and the first deputy chairman of Kyivmiskbud. Omelchenko worked in

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...

during the

Soviet–Afghan War The Soviet–Afghan War was a protracted armed conflict fought in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan from 1979 to 1989. It saw extensive fighting between the Soviet Union and the Afghan mujahideen (alongside smaller groups of anti-Sovie ...

in 1987–1989.

Political career

After 1989, Omelchenko worked in the system of state construction, he was deputy chairman of the executive committee of the

, and held the position of general director of Kyivrekonstruktsiya. In 1994–1996, Omelchenko was the first deputy chairman of the Kyiv City State Administration. In August 1996, he headed this body.

Mayor of Kyiv

During the 1999 Kyiv mayoral election, Omelchenko defeated noted oligarch

Hryhoriy Surkis Hryhoriy Surkis ( ua, Григорій Суркіс; born 4 September 1949) is a Ukrainian businessman, one of five vice-presidents of UEFA since 24 May 2013. Surkis was the president of Football Federation of Ukraine until September 2012.

, with 76 percent of the vote to Surkis's 16 percent. Omelchenko became the first elected mayor in Ukraine's modern history, with a platform highlighting his work in restoring much of Kyiv's historic buildings and renovating parts of downtown Kyiv. On recordings, which were termed the "Second Cassette Scandal" and released in early January 2002, Omelchenko demonstrably urged

Viktor Yushchenko Viktor Andriyovych Yushchenko ( uk, Віктор Андрійович Ющенко, ; born 23 February 1954) is a Ukrainian politician who was the third president of Ukraine from 23 January 2005 to 25 February 2010. As an informal leader of th ...

to have the Yushchenko-led Our Ukraine bloc and the Omelchenko-led

Unity Unity may refer to: Buildings * Unity Building, Oregon, Illinois, US; a historic building * Unity Building (Chicago), Illinois, US; a skyscraper * Unity Buildings, Liverpool, UK; two buildings in England * Unity Chapel, Wyoming, Wisconsin, US; ...

bloc oust

Viktor Medvedchuk Viktor Volodymyrovych Medvedchuk ( uk, Віктор Володимирович Медведчук, ; born 7 August 1954) is a Ukrainian lawyer, business oligarch, and politician who is since September 2022 living in exile after being handed over ...

as first vice speaker of the Rada. On 13 December 2001, Medvedchuk was ousted. The recordings revealed that Omelchenko virulently opposed Medvedchuk and the Medvedchuk led SDPU(o), which supported

Leonid Kuchma Leonid Danylovych Kuchma ( uk, Леоні́д Дани́лович Ку́чма; born 9 August 1938) is a Ukrainian politician who was the second president of Ukraine from 19 July 1994 to 23 January 2005. Kuchma's presidency saw numerous corru ...

. Omelchenko was a candidate in the

2004 Ukrainian presidential election Presidential elections were held in Ukraine on 31 October, 21 November and 26 December 2004. The election was the fourth presidential election to take place in Ukraine following independence from the Soviet Union. The last stages of the election ...

, nominated by the Unity Party, which he formerly chaired. Omelchenko was the only candidate for President whose son was a deputy in the

Verkhovna Rada The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine ( uk, Верхо́вна Ра́да Украї́ни, translit=, Verkhovna Rada Ukrainy, translation=Supreme Council of Ukraine, Ukrainian abbreviation ''ВРУ''), often simply Verkhovna Rada or just Rada, is the ...

. His program included the urgent withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from

Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, the Persian Gulf and K ...

. In the election, he received 0.48% of the vote.The mayor of Kyiv Omelchenko died

Ukrayinska Pravda ''Ukrainska Pravda'' ( uk, Українська правда, lit=Ukrainian Truth) is a Ukrainian online newspaper founded by Georgiy Gongadze on 16 April 2000 (the day of the Ukrainian constitutional referendum). Published mainly in Ukrai ...

(25 November 2021) While he was running for a third term as Mayor of Kyiv in what was expected to be an easy victory in the March 2006 election, he was soundly defeated, with 21% of the votes behind elected mayor

Leonid Chernovetsky Leonid Mykhaylovych Chernovetskyi ( uk, Леонід Михайлович Черновецький; born November 25, 1951 in Kharkiv, Ukrainian SSR, USSR) is a former Mayor of Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, from 2006 until the summer of 2012. He w ...

and

Vitali Klitschko Vitali Volodymyrovych Klitschko (; uk, Віта́лій Володи́мирович Кличко́ ; born 19 July 1971) is a Ukrainian politician and former professional boxer who serves as mayor of Kyiv 2007 Ukrainian parliamentary election Early parliamentary elections in Ukraine took place on 30 September 2007. The date of the election was determined following agreement between the President Viktor Yushchenko, the Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych and the Chairman of the Verkhovna ...

, Omelchenko was elected as an

Our Ukraine–People's Self-Defense Bloc The Our Ukraine–People's Self-Defense Bloc ( uk, Блок Наша Україна–Народна Самооборона, ''Blok Nasha Ukrayina-Narodna Samooborona'', NUNS; until 2007 named Our Ukraine Bloc) was an electoral alliance active in ...

deputy to the

.Александр Омельченко
ЛІГА.net However, he was expelled from the party in September 2011 due to his support of the Azarov Government.People's Self-Defense faction: Twelve parliamentarians expelled from Our Ukraine

Kyiv Post The ''Kyiv Post'' is the oldest English-language newspaper in Ukraine, founded in October 1995 by Jed Sunden. History American Jed Sunden founded the ''Kyiv Post'' weekly newspaper on Oct. 18, 1995 and later created KP Media for his holdings. ...

(7 September 2011) Omelchenko proceeded to voluntarily leave the faction the next month. Omelchenko's son, also named Oleksandr, was also a member of the Verkhovna Rada on an Our Ukraine ticket from 2002 until 2007. During the

2008 Kyiv local election Early mayoral and city council elections ( uk, Дотермінові вибори до київської міської ради (2008) were contested in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on May 25, 2008. The snap election was called by the Ukrainian p ...

, Omelchenko was again a candidate for the post of Mayor of Kyiv, but he only garnered 2.53% of the vote, placing sixth behind incumbent mayor Leonid Chernovetsky. His

Oleksandr Omelchenko Bloc Oleksandr Omelchenko Bloc ( uk, Блок Олександра Омельченка) is a local political party in the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv led by former mayor of Kyiv Oleksandr Omelchenko. During the 2008 Kyiv local election, 2008 local electi ...

won only 2.26% of the vote, and no seats in the

. In the 2012 parliamentary elections, Omelchenko at first intended to attempt to be re-elected into parliament in single-member districts number 220 situated in Kyiv; but he withdrew from the elections.Short bio
LIGA During the

2014 Kyiv local election Local elections in Kyiv for the post of Mayor and members of Kyiv City Council took place on 25 May 2014, as part of the 2014 Ukrainian local elections.According to the Kyiv mayor office 19 candidates compete

(5 April 2014) He finished 4th in this election with 6.1% of the votes (winner Vitali Klitschko received 56.7%).Klitschko officially announced as winner of Kyiv mayor election
Interfax-Ukraine (4 June 2014) Unity won 3.3% of the votes and 2 seats in the Kyiv City Council; including a seat for Omelchenko. Omelchenko did not participate in the

2014 Ukrainian parliamentary election Snap elections to the Verkhovna Rada took place on 26 October 2014. Petro Poroshenko, the President of Ukraine, had pressed for early parliamentary elections since his victory in the presidential election in May.2019 Ukrainian parliamentary election Snap elections to the Ukrainian parliament were held on 21 July 2019. Originally scheduled to be held at the end of October, these elections were brought forward after newly inaugurated President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dissolved parliament on 21 Ma ...

, Omelchenko was a candidate of the Unity Party in single-member district No. 220, located in Kyiv. He took the fifth place in his constituency, gaining 8.28% of the vote.Transformation of the Unity Party into the Unity of Oleksandr Omelchenko

Civil movement "Chesno" Chesno ( uk, Чесно, lit=honestly, fairly) is a Ukrainian public campaign that emerged late 2011 to advance a fair election process. It is widely known for its critical analysis and evaluation of politicians and the Verkhovna Rada (parliame ...

(29 September 2020) In the 2020 Kyiv local election, Omelchenko was again candidate for mayor of Kyiv, nominated by Unity of Oleksandr Omelchenko. In this election, the party was the third most popular party of Kyiv, winning 14 seats, and Omelchenko returned to the Kyiv City Council.Results of the 2020 elections of the Kyiv City Council
Central Election Commission of Ukraine However, he lost the mayoral election to Vitali Klitschko with 50.52% of the votes. Omelchenko finished in eighth place.

Death

On 18 November 2021, Omelchenko was admitted to hospital after being infected with

that had caused a

of the

. Omelchenko died on 25 November 2021, aged 83.

Honours and awards

Hero of Ukraine Hero of Ukraine (HOU; uk, Герой України, ''Heroi Ukrainy'') is the highest national title that can be conferred upon an individual citizen by the President of Ukraine. The title was created in 1998 by President Leonid Kuchma and as ...

(21 August 2001) for outstanding personal contribution to the Ukrainian state in the socio-economic and cultural development of the capital of Ukraine *

Order of the Badge of Honour The Order of the Badge of Honour (russian: орден «Знак Почёта», orden "Znak Pochyota") was a civilian award of the Soviet Union. It was established on 25 November 1935, and was conferred on citizens of the USSR for outstanding ...

(1982) *

Order of the Red Banner of Labour The Order of the Red Banner of Labour (russian: Орден Трудового Красного Знамени, translit=Orden Trudovogo Krasnogo Znameni) was an order of the Soviet Union established to honour great deeds and services to th ...

(1986) *

Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise The Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise ( uk, Орден князя Ярослава Мудрого) is an award of Ukraine. It is awarded for distinguished services to the state and people of the Ukrainian nation in the field of state building, ...

, 3rd (2006), 4th (1999) and 5th (1998) classes * Honour of the President of Ukraine (1996) * Honoured Builder of Ukraine * Knight Commander,

Order of St. Gregory the Great The Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great ( la, Ordo Sancti Gregorii Magni; it, Ordine di San Gregorio Magno) was established on 1 September 1831, by Pope Gregory XVI, seven months after his election as Pope. The order is one of ...

(2001) * Honorary doctorate of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (2001)

Notes

References

External links

Oleksandr Omelchenko Bloc official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Omelchenko, Oleksander 1938 births 2021 deaths Candidates in the 2004 Ukrainian presidential election FC Arsenal Kyiv Governors of Kyiv Grand Officers of the Order of Prince Henry Ice hockey in Ukraine Kyiv National Economic University alumni Mayors of Kyiv Our Ukraine (political party) politicians People from Vinnytsia Oblast Recipients of the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, 3rd class Recipients of the Order of State Recipients of the title of Hero of Ukraine Sixth convocation members of the Verkhovna Rada Ukrainian sports executives and administrators Unity (Ukraine) politicians Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in Ukraine Laureates of the State Prize of Ukraine in the Field of Architecture