Aleksei Chaly
{{Short description|Russian activist (born 1961)}}
{{Infobox Mayor
| name = Aleksei Chaly
| image = Alexey Chaly (cropped).jpeg
| caption = Chaly in 2014
| office1 = Mayor of Sevastopol
| term_start1 = 23 February 2014
| term_end1 = 1 April 2014
| predecessor1 = Position established
Volodymyr Yatsuba (de facto)
| successor1 = Position abolished
Himself (as governor)
| office2 = Governor of Sevastopol
Acting
| term_start2 = 1 April 2014
| term_end2 = 14 April 2014
| predecessor2 = Position established by Russia
Himself (de facto)
| successor2 = Sergey Menyaylo
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1961|06|13|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union{{cite web|author=Юлия Гутова |script-title=ru:Серьезный разговор с Алексеем Чалым и другими людьми, которые сохранили русский Севастополь |url=http://expert.ru/russian_reporter/2014/27/o-divnyij-novyij-kryim/| year=2014|publisher=Русский репортёр |language=ru}}
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality =
| spouse =
| relations =
| children =
| residence =
| alma_mater = Sevastopol National Technical University
| occupation =
| religion =
| party = United Russia
| otherparty =
| signature =
| native_name_lang = ru
| native_name = {{nobold|Алексей Чалый}}
}}
Aleksei Mikhailovich Chaly ({{langx|ru|Алексей Михайлович Чалый}}; born 13 June 1961) is a businessman and the former de facto mayor of Sevastopol in 2014.
He declared himself as mayor in February 2014, amidst the Crimean crisis, after the resignation of Volodymyr Yatsuba, the mayor appointed by Viktor Yanukovych.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/25/ukraine-sevastopol-installs-pro-russian-mayor|agency=The Guardian|title=Ukraine: Sevastopol installs pro-Russian mayor as separatism fears grow|date=25 February 2014|access-date=29 March 2014}} With Chaly as mayor, Sevastopol participated in the March 2014 referendum, which was followed by the formal annexation of Crimea by Russia. On 1 April 2014, he was appointed as the governor of Sevastopol by Russia. On 14 April, he was replaced by Sergey Menyaylo.{{cite news|url=http://echo.msk.ru/news/1300550-echo.html|script-title=ru:Владимир Путин подписал указ о назначении временно исполняющих обязанности главы Республики Крым и Севастополя|date=15 April 2014|publisher=Echo of Moscow|language=ru|access-date=15 April 2014}}
Biography
Chaly was born on 13 June 1961 in Moscow to students of the Moscow Power Engineering Institute. Parents: inventor and scientist Michail Chaly, mother Alevtina Chalaya, Candidate of Engineering, university professor. Grandson to Soviet vice-admiral Vasily Chaly, hero of the Great Patriotic War, Commander-In-Chief of the Black Sea Squadron (1956–1961). The family moved to Sevastopol, Ukrainian SSR when he was one year old. Chaly graduated from the Sevastopol National Technical University. Since 1987 he has been the head of "Tavrida Electric", producing switchgear and anti-wreck technology. At the moment of political crisis in Ukraine in 2014 he had Russian citizenship.
He was involved with restoration of the memorials of the World War II, producing the documentary series "Sevastopol Tales". In 2011 he received the international award "For faith and fidelity" as a symbol of recognition of his contribution to the Motherland.{{citation needed|date=March 2014}}
During the Crimean crisis
On 23 February 2014, a meeting of citizens opposed to the Euromaidan movement that ousted the Ukrainian government from power in Kyiv led to Chaly being proclaimed as "mayor" of Sevastopol. The Sevastopol City Council handed power to Chaly on 24 February, following the resignation of Volodymyr Yatsuba as the city administrator appointed by the president of Ukraine (at the time the city had no elected mayor).[https://books.google.com/books?id=tedMMgz3RV8C&dq=Sevastopol++appointed+by+the+President+of+Ukraine&pg=PA44 Contemporary Ukraine: Dynamics of Post-Soviet Transformation] by Taras Kuzio, M.E. Sharpe, 1998, {{ISBN|978-0-7656-0224-4}} (page 44)
On 26 February, Chaly declared that Sevastopol would not submit to orders of the acting leader of the Ukrainian home office, Arsen Avakov. Simultaneously, he invited officers of the officially disbanded Berkut riot police unit to the city. He said that they can become a basis for future defence groups in the city.
Chaly visited the Kremlin in Moscow on 18 March 2014 to sign the Treaty on Accession of the Republic of Crimea to Russia together with Russian president Vladimir Putin and Crimean prime minister Sergey Aksyonov.[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26630062 Ukraine crisis: Putin signs Russia-Crimea treaty], BBC, 18 March 2014
In March 2014, the Security Service of Ukraine has announced an investigation into Chaly for allegedly steering some ₴23.9 million from his charitable organisation to bankroll anti-Ukraine activity.[http://www.unian.ua/politics/898017-rozpochato-rozsliduvannya-schodo-narodnogo-mera-sevastopolya-sbu.html Launched investigation concerning the "people's mayor" of Sevastopol – SBU]. UNIAN. 18 March 2014
On 1 April 2014, he was appointed as acting governor of Sevastopol City by Russia and occupied this position till 14 April 2014, when he resigned and was replaced by Sergey Menyaylo.{{in lang|uk}} [http://espreso.tv/news/2014/04/14/pityn_znekhtuvav_narodnym_merom_sevastopolya_i_pryznachyt_na_cyu_posadu_rosiyskoho_admirala Putin ignored the "People's Mayor" Sevastopol and appoint to the post a Russian Admiral], Espreso TV (14 April 2014)
= Sanctions =
Chaly was sanctioned by the British government in 2014 as a result of the annexation of Crimea.{{cite web |title=CONSOLIDATED LIST OF FINANCIAL SANCTIONS TARGETS IN THE UK |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1150217/Russia.pdf |access-date=16 April 2023}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20140321064410/http://sevastopolnews.info/2014/02/lenta/politika/069214980/ Biography of Chaly] at the Sevastopol News
- [http://sevsovet.com.ua/ The Sevastopol city council]
{{2014 Crimean crisis}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chaly, Aleksei}}
Category:Businesspeople from Moscow
Category:Politicians from Moscow
Category:People of the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation
Category:Recipients of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 1st class
Category:Pro-Russian people of the 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine
Category:Russian individuals subject to United Kingdom sanctions
Category:Russian individuals subject to European Union sanctions