Place of Birth. Education. Born in Baku into a military family. He has been living in Ukraine since 1966. In 1988 he graduated from Kharkiv Polytechnic University with a degree in automated control systems (qualified as a systems engineer).
Career. During his studies at the institute, in the summer of 1985, Avakov worked as a foreman (detachment commander) of the construction department No. 18 of the Novourengoygazstroy trust in the Tyumen region. In the summer of 1986, he was the commander of the student construction brigade BMP-522 PSMO Tyumendorstroy of the Urengoytransstroy trust.
In 1987-1990. – Engineer of the Kharkov Research Institute of Water Protection. He was engaged in scientific activities, in particular, issues of mathematical modeling.
In 1990, he founded one of the first joint-stock companies in Ukraine – Investor JSC, in which he took over as president.
In 1992 he created and headed the commercial bank Basis.
In 2002, he was elected a member of the executive committee of the Kharkiv city council.
On February 4, 2005, by the decree of the President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko, whom he actively supported in the 2004 elections, he was appointed head of the Kharkiv Regional State Administration. On the same day, as indicated in the official biography, he resigned as chairman of the supervisory boards of controlled business structures – OJSC AKB Basis and JSC Investor.
On February 5, 2010, on the eve of the repeated voting in the presidential elections, he was relieved of his post as head of the Kharkiv Regional State Administration. Avakov, who expressed support for Yulia Tymoshenko, who passed into the second round, regarded this dismissal as illegal. He considered it no coincidence that the president’s decision to release on the eve of the second round of presidential elections the governors of the two largest regions – Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv. According to Avakov, these decrees were aimed at destabilizing the situation in the regions, in order to provide Tymoshenko’s rival Viktor Yanukovych, in particular in the Kharkiv region, with voting results similar to those in 2005.
One of the deputies of the ex-governor of the Kharkiv region was the nephew of the head of state – Yaroslav Yushchenko, the son of the elder brother of the President, Petro Yushchenko.
Avakov was a member of the pro-Yushchenko party Our Ukraine and its presidium. Since 2006 – Deputy of the Kharkiv Regional Council from Our Ukraine, member of the Commission on Budgetary Issues. Since the fall of 2010 – a deputy of the regional council from the Batkivshchyna party (leader – Tymoshenko). Heads the Kharkiv regional organization of Batkivshchyna.
Since December 2012 – People’s Deputy of Ukraine of the VII convocation from the Batkivshchyna party (No. 24 in the list). Member of the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Parliamentary Ethics and Support of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
On February 27, 2014, he was appointed Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in the government of Arseniy Yatsenyuk. He replaced Vitaly Zakharchenko as head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Among Avakov’s longtime political opponents are representatives of the Party of Regions. Particularly irreconcilable enemies include the regionals Mikhail Dobkin, Gennady Kernes and Vasily Salygin, the ex-head of the Kharkov Regional Council.
On December 2, 2014, the Verkhovna Rada approved the new composition of the Cabinet of Ministers, in which Arsen Avakov was appointed Minister of Internal Affairs.
On April 14, 2016, the parliament dismissed Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, supporting the candidacy of Vladimir Groisman in his place. On the same day, the Rada approved the new composition of the Cabinet of Ministers, in which Avakov retained the post of head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
On August 29, 2019, the Verkhovna Rada approved the new composition of the Cabinet of Ministers, Arsen Avakov was re-appointed as the Minister of Internal Affairs.
On March 4, 2024, the Verkhovna Rada voted for the resignation of Oleksiy Honcharuk from the post of prime minister, which entails the resignation of the entire government. On the same day, the Verkhovna Rada approved the new composition of the Cabinet of Ministers, Arsen Avakov was again appointed Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.
July 13, 2024 Arsen Avakov has submitted a letter of resignation from the post of Minister of Internal Affairs. July 15 The Verkhovna Rada approved the resignation of Arsen Avakov from the post of head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Condition and assets. In February 2008, the Focus magazine put Avakov in 67th place in the list of 130 richest Ukrainians. The experts of the publication estimated the state of the governor of the Kharkiv region at $ 385 million. It was noted that a year earlier it was equal to $ 300 million.
JSCB Basis was registered by the National Bank of Ukraine in 1992. It has branches in Dnepropetrovsk and Kiev. In May 1995, the former branch of the Kharkov Investment Commercial Bank for the development of light industry, Interstroybank, joined it.
Among the bank’s partners are Investor JSC, Turboatom JSC, Teploelektrocentral-3 CJSC, Regional utility company Kharkov Heating Networks, KP Kharkov Heating Networks, UTSEBOTneftegaz OJSC, Saltovsky Khlebozavod CJSC, AkhmadTI Ukrainian Tea Factory LLC, Dublyansky Distillery, Novopokrovsk State Bread Products Plant.
Basis is part of the Investor financial and industrial group. The founder and owner of the controlling block of shares (50.55% of the authorized capital of the bank) is Investor JSC, the main “controller” of which is called Avakova.
According to Focus, FIG Investor coordinates the activities of about 40 diversified enterprises. Incl. in the field of energy, for the production and sale of the popular brand of Ahmad tea in Ukraine.
Regalia. Honored Economist of Ukraine. Author of 12 scientific publications and one monograph.
Family. The politician is married and has a son.
Charity. Avakov, as an individual, is a co-founder of several charitable structures.
The Marianna Avakova Foundation provides assistance to orphanages, boarding schools, orphans.
The Zvezdny Bridge charitable organization organizes the annual international festival of fiction, publishes fantastic literature, social and educational activities in orphanages, schools, universities.
The Renaissance Charitable Foundation is engaged in charity events, concerts, auctions, restoration and revival of historical and architectural monuments, grant support for young scientists, scientific programs, and children’s creativity.
07/15/2021