Viktor Chaika

Date of Birth: 20.10.1941

Place of Birth. Education. Born in the settlement of Protochny, Belorechensk district, Krasnodar Krai. In 1968, he graduated from Novocherkassk Automobile Transport College, and in 1974 - from Novocherkassk Engineering Melioration Institute.

Career. He lived in Rivne for the last 35 years. In 1981, he was elected chairman of the executive committee of the Rivne City Council of People's Deputies.

From 1988 to 1990, he served as deputy chairman of the Rivne Regional State Administration.

In 1990, he founded and headed the firm 'KAMAZ-Trans-Service' (according to Rivne residents, very successful).

He was elected mayor of Rivne three times, in 1998, 2002, and 2006. In the last elections, 54.2% of voters who came to the polling station (69,519 people) voted for him. His closest rival, Volodymyr Khomko, director of 'Rivneoblvodokanal', received 24.1% (30,937) of the votes.

The 66-year-old mayor of Rivne, after undergoing heart surgery, had been undergoing treatment since August 2007. Starting October 1, Viktor Chaika was on vacation. During his absence, the duties of the mayor were carried out by the secretary of the city council, Yuriy Torgun.

He died after a long illness on February 12, 2008, in the Polish city of Opole - on the way to Germany, where he was going for another treatment course. He stopped at one of the hotels to spend the night, but his health deteriorated sharply.

The previous surgery of Viktor Chaika was not the first. In early 2005, he was operated on in Poland. Two months later, in response to a question from the newspaper 'Rivne Evening', about his health, the mayor irritably replied with a phrase from a joke: 'You won't wait for it!'.

At that time, while on sick leave, he shared with journalists his concerns about the rumors and statements from political opponents that he allegedly promised that in the event of Viktor Yushchenko's victory in the presidential elections, he would resign as mayor. 'I have obligations to the community of Rivne, I had a program that I presented to the people and I am simply obliged to fulfill it, regardless of whether anyone wants me to be the mayor or not.' After that, exactly a year later, the residents entrusted V. Chaika with the post of mayor again.

Awards. Awarded the Order of Friendship of Peoples, the orders of 'Sign of Honor', 'For the Construction of Ukraine', IV degree, 'For Merit' II and III degrees. Honored Transport Worker of Ukraine. Since 2006 - 'Honorable Citizen of the City'.

Family. Was married. Raised three daughters.

13.02.2008.