Georgi Kirpa

Date of Birth: 20.07.1946

Place of Birth. Education. Born in the village of Klubivka in the Izyaslav District of the Khmelnytsky Region. In 1970, he graduated from the Kharkiv Institute of Railway Engineers. Academician of the Transport University of Ukraine. Author of 14 scientific papers in the field of railway transport.

Career. 1964-1965 - Mechanic at the Klymboska Sugar Factory in the Khmelnytsky Region.

1965-1970 - Student at the Kharkiv Institute of Railway Engineers.

In 1970 - Duty officer at the Chop station of the Lviv Railway.

1970-1971 - Military service in Yaroslavl.

1971-1977 - Engineer, leading engineer, then stationmaster in Chop.

1977-1978 - Head of the Transport Department.

1978-1979 - Deputy Head of the Uzhhorod section of the Lviv Railway.

1979-1982 - Head of the Rivne section of the Lviv Railway.

1982-1985 - Head of the Uzhhorod section.

1985-2000 - First Deputy Head and then Head of the Lviv Railway.

2000-2001 - First Deputy Minister - General Director of the State Administration for Railway Transport of Ukraine at the Ministry of Transport of Ukraine.

2001-2002 - General Director of the State Administration for Railway Transport of Ukraine.

2002-2004 - Minister of Transport of Ukraine, General Director of Ukrzaliznytsia.

From July to December 2004 - Minister of Transport and Communications of Ukraine, General Director of the State Administration for Railway Transport of Ukraine Ukrzaliznytsia.

Views and Evaluations. Under the initiative of Georgi Kirpa, a number of major infrastructure projects were implemented, including the Kyiv-Odessa highway and the shipping canal from the Danube to the Black Sea. Thanks to him, the construction of the road and railway bridge over the Dnipro in Kyiv, known as 'Kirpa's Bridge', began. Under Georgi Kirpa, the central station in the capital of Ukraine was reconstructed, and the construction of a modern station at the Darnytsia station began. The former minister advocated for the establishment of a national airline to secure domestic flights.

Georgi Kirpa was free from any influence of oligarchic groups, had no personal assets, and was still one of the most influential and promising politicians in the country. In 1999, he was the confidant of presidential candidate Leonid Kuchma in the 120th electoral district.

He led the Revival Party, which attracted masses of railway and transport professionals.

Awards and Prizes. Hero of Ukraine with the Order of the State. Honored worker of transport of Ukraine. Awarded with the orders: Friendship of Peoples, 'For Merit' of the III class, Prince Yaroslav the Wise of the V class, St. Vladimir. He received the honorary award from the Ministry of Transport and Shipping of the Republic of Poland.

Family. He had a son (born 1972) and a daughter (born 1974).

Tragic End. Georgi Kirpa was found dead on the evening of December 26, 2004, at his dacha in Bortnichi near Kyiv with a gunshot wound to the head. A 5.45mm caliber PSM pistol and a cartridge were found at the scene. The Prosecutor General's Office initiated a case for incitement to suicide. The investigation into this case is still ongoing.

19.08.2009