Mykhailo Dobkin

Mykhailo Dobkin was born to a Jewish father and Ukrainian mother in Kharkiv.Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/tdSqcpQkccg Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20200127164732/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdSqcpQkccg Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web |title=Добкин – Гордону: Я не обрезанный. Могу показать |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdSqcpQkccg |website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/jews-in-maidan|title=Jews Join Maidan To Preserve an Independent, and Safe, Ukraine|date=February 25, 2014|website=Tablet Magazine}} He graduated from the National University of Internal Affairs with a degree in law and the Kharkiv National University of Economics, majoring in international economics.{{Cite web |date=2010-11-03 |title=Lenta.ru: : Добкин, Михаил |url=http://lenta.ru/lib/14188177/ |access-date=2024-01-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101103080233/http://lenta.ru/lib/14188177/ |archive-date=3 November 2010 }}

From 1993 until 2002, Dobkin was an entrepreneur and director of several businesses. In his 2015 tax declaration, Dobkin stated that he owned 12 vehicles.{{in lang|uk}} [http://pda.pravda.com.ua/news/id_7114532/ MPs in 2015 declared 951 "cars", some up to 36], Ukrayinska Pravda (12 July 2016)

In the 2002 Ukrainian parliamentary election, Dobkin was elected as People's Deputy of Ukraine.[https://www.unian.info/politics/2027834-ukraines-parliament-gives-the-thumbs-up-for-arrest-of-mp-dobkin.html Ukraine's parliament gives the thumbs up for arrest of MP Dobkin], UNIAN (13 July 2017) Dobkin changed his political party several times while serving as a People's Deputy, going from For United Ukraine! to the {{Ill|Deputy group for Democratic Initiatives|lt=Democratic Initiatives|uk|Депутатська група «Демократичні ініціативи»}} group less than a year after his election. Two years later, Dobkin again switched his party to the Social Democratic Party of Ukraine (united), and the year afterwards joined the Party of Regions, where he remained until the Verkhovna Rada was dissolved for the 2006 Ukrainian parliamentary election. From late 2005, Dobkin was a member of the political council of the Party of Regions.

From March 2006 to March 2010, Dobkin was Mayor of Kharkiv. In office, Dobkin was close to Hennadiy Kernes, who exerted unofficial power upon Dobkin.

On September 27, 2007, a video recording how Dobkin’s election speech was prepared in December 2005 was posted on YouTube. A video containing profanity by Hennadiy Kernes was also shown on television. The authenticity of this recording is controversial. Dobkin himself called this video "partially edited".{{Cite web |date=2021-01-23 |title=Видеообращение мэра Харькова вошло в число самых популярных роликов YouTube: Медиа: Lenta.ru |url=https://lenta.ru/news/2007/09/28/napalm/ |access-date=2024-01-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210123145837/https://lenta.ru/news/2007/09/28/napalm/ |archive-date=23 January 2021 }} On the first day, the video on YouTube was viewed by about 120 thousand people, and in total, as of June 2020, there were more than 6.1 million views.{{Citation |title=Мэр города Харькова Михаил Добкин |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3z2wheJWyk |access-date=2024-01-01 |language=en}} The video spawned a huge number of Internet memes in the Russian-speaking segment of the Internet.[https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-41441417 When politicians fall foul of social media], BBC News (29 September 2017)

File:Dobkin06.jpg]]

In March 2010, President Viktor Yanukovych appointed Dobkin as Governor of Kharkiv Oblast.

In 2014, amidst Euromaidan, Dobkin formed the Ukrainian Front, an organisation in support of Yanukovych. Dobkin furthermore stated his intention to "clean and purify our Ukrainian land of those who come here with plans for occupation".{{Cite news |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/europe/ukraine-s-revolutionaries-reject-fascist-jibe-as-conflicting-histories-collide-1.1689173 |title=Ukraine's revolutionaries reject 'fascist' jibe as conflicting histories collide |first=Daniel |last=McLaughlin |newspaper=The Irish Times |issn=0791-5144 |location=Dublin |language=en}} In February 2014, Dobkin called for Ukraine’s capital to be moved from Kyiv to Kharkiv, and for a federal structure of government to be established in Ukraine.{{Cite news |url=https://www.ft.com/content/69b57a22-9baa-11e3-afe3-00144feab7de |title=Uncertainty in Ukraine as president goes missing |first=Neil |last=Buckley |date=February 22, 2014 |newspaper=Financial Times |place=London |language=en-GB}} He also claimed that by late February 2014, "all peaceful protesters of Euromaidan had left" and that "Negotiations with [remaining protesters] will be to no avail. They need to disarm, and those who resist and kill people physically destroyed."{{in lang|uk}} [http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2014/02/20/7015202/ Dobkin decided that BP blow and offers physically destroy Protestants], Ukrayinska Pravda (February 20, 2014)

Following the Revolution of Dignity, Dobkin was a leading participant of local officials in Eastern Ukraine, which questioned the legality of the new government's actions and declared local officials would take responsibility for their own oblasts until order was restored.{{cite news|title=Protests in east Ukraine ease separatism fears|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ukraine-crisis-regions-idUSBREA1M01320140223|access-date=25 February 2014|newspaper=Reuters|date=22 February 2014}} Dobkin was later reported to have fled to Russia, along with Kharkiv mayor Hennadiy Kernes, but he returned to attend a pro-Russian rally in the city.{{cite news|last=Mackinnon|first=Mark|title=Globe in Ukraine: In Kharkiv, revolution meets a Russophile resistance|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/globe-in-kharkiv-where-russia-is-close-to-the-heart/article17076303/|access-date=25 February 2014|newspaper=The Globe and Mail|date=24 February 2014}}

In late February 2014, he indicated that he intended to run for president in the upcoming Ukrainian presidential election due to his concerns regarding the behaviour of the revolutionary government towards the Russophone population.{{cite news|last1=Booth|first1=William|last2=Englund|first2=Will|title=Russia cries 'mutiny' over change in Ukraine|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/ousted-ukraine-president-accused-of-mass-murder/2014/02/24/c2e19d30-9d47-11e3-b8d8-94577ff66b28_story.html|access-date=25 February 2014|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=24 February 2014}}{{cite news|title=Kharkiv region governor decides to run for Ukrainian presidency|url=http://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukraine/kharkiv-region-governor-decides-to-run-for-ukrainian-presidency-337527.html|access-date=25 February 2014|newspaper=Kyiv Post|date=24 February 2014}} Dobkin tendered his resignation as governor on 26 February 2014, "following [a] decision to run for the office of the President of Ukraine".[http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/193008.html Kharkiv governor Dobkin tenders resignation], Interfax-Ukraine (26 February 2014) On 2 March 2014, a decree by acting President Oleksandr Turchynov formally dismissed Dobkin as governor.

On 10 March 2014, Dobkin was arrested on charges of leading a separatist movement.{{Cite web|url=http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2014/03/10/7018318/|title = Добкін у СІЗО, суд обере йому запобіжний захід}}{{Cite web|url=http://interfax.com.ua/news/general/195245.html|title = Генпрокуратура: Добкин задержан, подозревается в посягательстве на территориальную целостность Украины}} However, on 20 August 2014, Dobkin's criminal case was closed "in the absence of corpus delicti".{{in lang|uk}} [http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2014/08/30/7036273/ The case against Dobkin closed], Ukrayinska Pravda (30 August 2014)

File:2014-05-04. Протесты в Донецке 046.jpg]]

On 25 March 2014, Dobkin filed documents to the Central Election Commission to run in the 2014 Ukrainian presidential election.[https://news.pn/en/politics/100198 Mikhail Dobkin filed documents to the Central Election Commission on an election of the president of Ukraine], March 25, 2014 On 29 March, a Party of Regions convention supported Dobkin's nomination as a presidential candidate.[http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/199490.html Ukraine's Party of Regions expels presidential hopefuls Tigipko, Tsariov and Boiko], Interfax-Ukraine (7 April 2014)[http://www.euronews.com/2014/03/29/ukraine-party-of-regions-nominates-mykhailo-dobkin-as-presidential-candidate/ Ukraine: Party of Regions nominates Mykhailo Dobkin as presidential candidate] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170708135104/http://www.euronews.com/2014/03/29/ukraine-party-of-regions-nominates-mykhailo-dobkin-as-presidential-candidate/ |date=8 July 2017 }}, Euronews (29 March 2014)

During his presidential campaign, Dobkin advocated for regionalism and the establishment of a federal Ukraine, Ukraine joining the Eurasian Customs Union, improving Russia–Ukraine relations, "defending the joint Russian-Ukrainian history, culture and traditions", maintaining Ukrainian neutrality, tax relief in the agricultural sector over the next 15 years, and the abolition of conscription.[https://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukraine/dobkin-former-kharkiv-oblast-governor-who-opposed-euromaidan-revolution-arrested-338993.html Yanukovych's Kharkiv duo in legal trouble: Dobkin arrested, Kernes named as suspect], Kyiv Post (11 March 2014){{in lang|uk}} [http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2014/03/31/7020915/ Dobkin promises federalization of Ukraine and join the Customs Union], Ukrayinska Pravda (31 March 2014)

In the presidential election, Dobkin received 3.03% of the vote, ranking 6th among all candidates, and performed well in eastern Ukraine, receiving 26.25% of the vote in Kharkiv Oblast and 8.02% of the vote in neighbouring Luhansk Oblast.{{cite web |url=http://www.nrcu.gov.ua/en/148/566632/ |title=Poroshenko wins presidential election with 54.7% of vote – CEC |publisher=Radio Ukraine International |date=29 May 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140529212731/http://www.nrcu.gov.ua/en/148/566632/ |archive-date=29 May 2014 }}
{{in lang|ru}} [http://telegraf.com.ua/ukraina/politika/1300294-rezultatyi-vyiborov-prezidenta-ukrainyi-2014-tsik-obrabotala-51-99.html Results election of Ukrainian president], Телеграф (29 May 2014)

File:Добкин, Михаил Маркович 0030 Чуприна Вадим А.jpg

In the 2014 Ukrainian parliamentary election, Dobkin was again re-elected into the Verkhovna Rada, this time as third on the party list for Opposition Bloc.[http://www.ukrinform.ua/eng/news/poroshenko_bloc_to_have_greatest_number_of_seats_in_parliament_327072 Poroshenko Bloc to have greatest number of seats in parliament], Ukrinform (8 November 2014)
[http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/233404.html People's Front 0.33% ahead of Poroshenko Bloc with all ballots counted in Ukraine elections – CEC], Interfax-Ukraine (8 November 2014)
[http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/233426.html Poroshenko Bloc to get 132 seats in parliament – CEC], Interfax-Ukraine (8 November 2014){{in lang|uk}} [http://www.pravda.com.ua/articles/2014/10/1/7039508/ Full electoral list of Opposition Bloc], Ukrayinska Pravda (19 September 2014)

On 13 July 2017, the Verkhovna Rada stripped Dobkin of his parliamentary immunity. Dobkin was subsequently arrested on suspicions of abuse of office and assistance to fraud in order to obtain 78 hectares of land in Kharkiv worth more than US$8.5 million. Two days later, a Kyiv court ruled that Dobkin was to remain in custody until 14 September 2017, and granted bail at ₴50 million.[Read more on UNIAN: https://www.unian.info/politics/2031624-ex-mayor-of-kharkiv-mp-dobkin-arrested-for-two-months-with-bail.html]{{Cite web|url=http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/436378.html|title = Court arrests MP Dobkin with alternative of UAH 50 MLN bail}} On 19 July, members of the Opposition Bloc posted his bail.{{Cite web|url=https://www.kyivpost.com/ukraine-politics/opposition-bloc-members-post-hr-50-million-bail-arrested-lawmaker-dobkin.html|title = Opposition Bloc members post Hr 50 million bail for arrested lawmaker Dobkin – Jul. 19, 2017|date = 19 July 2017}}

Dobkin left Opposition Bloc in October 2017, voicing his disapproval of the party's support for judicial reform efforts.{{Cite web|url=https://ua.korrespondent.net/ukraine/politics/3892564-dobkin-zaiavyv-pro-vykhid-z-opobloku|title=Добкін заявив про вихід з Опоблоку}} In February 2018, he founded his own party, the Party of Christian Socialists, and in June 2019 joined Opposition Bloc (2019), along with the rest of his party.{{Cite web|url=https://ua.korrespondent.net/ukraine/3943533-dobkin-stvoryv-partiui-khrystyianski-sotsialisty|title=Добкін створив партію Християнські соціалісти|website=ua.korrespondent.net}}{{Cite web|url=https://m.zn.ua/POLITICS/dobkin-sozdal-partiyu-hristianskih-socialistov-276076_.html|title=Добкин создал партию христианских социалистов}} In the 2019 Ukrainian parliamentary election, Dobkin unsuccessfully ran as a candidate on the party list, with the party failing to cross the 5% election barrier.{{Cite web|url=https://ukr.lb.ua/news/2019/07/22/432822_dobkini_proyshli_radu.html|title = Добкіни не пройшли в Раду| date=22 July 2019 }}

Although in July 2020 Dobkin had announced his candidacy for Mayor of Kharkiv in the 2020 Kharkiv local elections, he stated in September 2020 that he had submitted documents for registration as a candidate for mayor of Kharkiv.{{in lang|uk}} [https://www.pravda.com.ua/articles/2020/09/15/7266384/ Battle for Kyiv. Life, career, promises of Klitschko, Vereshchuk, Palchevsky and others], Ukrayinska Pravda (15 September 2020)
{{in lang|uk}} [https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2020/09/23/7267399/ Dobkin was going to become mayor of Kharkiv and wished Kernes to recover from COVID-19], Ukrayinska Pravda (23 September 2020)[https://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/674837.html Rada appoints next elections to local self-govt bodies for Oct 25], Interfax-Ukraine (15 July 2020) On 4 October 2020, 11 days prior to the election, he withdrew his candidacy in favour of incumbent mayor Hennadiy Kernes, his political ally and successor.{{in lang|uk}} [https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2020/10/4/7268743/ Dobkin changed his mind to go to the mayor of Kharkiv], Ukrayinska Pravda (4 October 2020)

Kernes died on 17 December 2020 from complications of COVID-19.[https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-polytics/3156284-kharkiv-mayor-kernes-dies.html Kharkiv mayor Kernes dies], Ukrinform (17 December 2020)
[https://www.bbc.com/ukrainian/features-54502494 Помер Геннадій Кернес: мер Харкова, який виграв вибори з реанімації], BBC Ukrainian (17 December 2020) {{in lang|uk}} A snap mayoral election in Kharkiv was set on 31 October 2021 to determinate Kernes' successor.{{in lang|uk}} [https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2021/09/6/7306267/ "Servant of the people" will not nominate a candidate for mayor of Kharkiv], Ukrayinska Pravda (6 September 2021) In this election, Dobkin was once again a mayoral candidate.{{in lang|uk}} [https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2021/09/25/7308397/ Kernes' bloc nominated ]Ihor Terekhov as a candidate for mayor, Ukrayinska Pravda (6 September 2021) On 29 September 2021, Opposition Platform — For Life announced it supported Dobkin in the mayoral election.{{in lang|uk}} [https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2021/09/29/7308837/ OPZH supports Dobkin in the mayoral election in Kharkiv], Ukrayinska Pravda (29 September 2021) The election commission declared Ihor Terekhov the winner of the election with 50.66% of the votes. Dobkin finished the race in second place with 28.4% of the vote.{{in lang|uk}} [https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2021/11/7/7313153/ Kharkiv mayoral election: the court denied OPORA's lawsuits, although it acknowledged differences], Ukrayinska Pravda (9 November 2021)

Dobkin condemned the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine on its second day.[https://www.ft.com/content/131068c8-5a5e-466a-a476-48de30d97760 Another Stalingrad’: assault on Kharkiv shatters ties that once bound two nations], Financial Times (2 March 2022) On 17 March 2022, Dobkin posted a video of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on his Instagram page, and signed it with the comment "[He is] ours".{{cite news |date=17 March 2022 |title=Zelenskyy won Dobkin's heart and forced him to argue with Shariy |language=uk |work=Українська правда |url=https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2022/03/17/7332317/ |access-date=20 March 2022}}

Dobkin graduated from the Kharkiv Theological Seminary (UOC-MP), and on April 7, 2022, in the Kharkiv Annunciation Cathedral, Metropolitan Onufry of Kharkiv and Bohodukhiv ordained him to the rank of deacon.{{Cite web |title=Онуфрий дал Добкину сан диакона УПЦ МП |url=https://www.pravda.com.ua/rus/news/2022/04/8/7338005/ |access-date=2023-10-29 |website=Украинская правда |language=ru}}{{Cite web |date=2022-04-08 |title=Экс-нардеп Михаил Добкин стал диаконом УПЦ Московского патриархата (фото) |url=https://focus.ua/politics/511765-eks-nardep-mihail-dobkin-stal-diakonom-upc-moskovskogo-patriarhata-foto |access-date=2023-10-29 |website=ФОКУС |language=ru}}

In June, Igor Girkin (Strelkov) said that a month before the start of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the 5th service of the FSB was negotiating with Dobkin about the possibility of creating the so-called "Kharkov People’s Republic" in the Kharkiv Oblast.[https://www.dialog.ua/ukraine/254583_1656524919 Strelkov assures that the FSB discussed the creation of KhNR with Dobkin a month before the invasion - the politician is silent ]

Dobkin is married and has four children; a son and three daughters.

Since first meeting Hennadiy Kernes in 1998, Dobkin was his close friend and political ally, and was succeeded by him as Mayor of Kharkiv in 2010. Kernes remained as mayor until his death in 2020.[https://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/29/world/europe/ukraine.html?_r=0 Wounded Mayor Is Both Colorful and Powerful, Loved and Loathed], The New York Times (28 April 2014)

Dobkin's younger brother, Dmytro Dobkin, was elected as a People's Deputy of Ukraine in the 2012 Ukrainian parliamentary election for the Party of Regions, being re-elected in 2014 as a member of Opposition Bloc.[http://ukropnews24.com/mikhail-dobkin-commented-on-the-resonance-live-with-his-brother-in-parliament/ Mikhail Dobkin commented on the resonance live with his brother in Parliament], Ukrop News 24 (2 November 2016) In the 2019 Ukrainian parliamentary election, Dmytro Dobkin failed to be re-elected.

Dobkin is widely known by the nickname "Dopa".{{in lang|uk}} [http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2014/02/22/7015803/ Dopa and Gepa fled to Russia], Ukrayinska Pravda (22 February 2014){{in lang|uk}} [http://tabloid.pravda.com.ua/photos/4e7af38f2178c/ Dobkin and Kernes significant move on the other wheels ], Tablo ID (22 September 2011)

In 2022, Dobkin became a Deacon in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.http://www.eparchia.kharkov.ua/readnews/3093

• List of mayors of Kharkiv

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Category:1970 births

Category:Living people

Category:Politicians from Kharkiv

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