Ihor Kolykhaiev

Ihor Kolykhaiev was born on 8 May 1971, in Kherson. His mother worked as a shop assistant, and his father as a lather operator at the enterprise. After school graduation, he entered A. Popov Navy Institute of Radio-electronics in Saint Petersburg. Having got higher education, Kolykhaiev returned to his native city and in 1995 started to work as an entrepreneur.

November 1995 — February 1998 — A Director of Prodtorg-Aervice

January 1999 — July 2000 — A Commercial Director of Private Enterprise at Vika and K

July 2000 — A Director of LLC Тrade House Prodexim

August 2013 — Present — A Director of Partnership at Ukraine’s Food Corporation

In 2016, Kolykhaiev founded Ihor Kolykhaev's Charity Fund which is aimed at charity help to sportsmen and Kherson citizens.

In 2006, Yurii Bokalo established futsal club named after Ihor Kolykhaev's enterprise ”Prodexim”.[4]

In October 2015, Ihor Kolykhaiev stood for becoming a deputy at Kherson Oblast Council in accordance with the lists of political party Petro Poroshenko Bloc”.[5] Having got 25,24 % votes at the electoral wardі, he was elected in the 2015 Ukrainian local elections a deputy of Kherson Oblast Council of the VIIth convocation and on December, 2015, he took the oath. On July 21, 2019, he was elected in the 2019 Ukrainian parliamentary election the people's deputy of Ukraine of the IXth convocation at 184 first past the post election constituency.[6] At the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine's national parliament) of the IXth[7] convocation Faction a Deputy Group member "For the Future".[6] He became the Head's deputy Committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on agricultural matters and soil policy.[8]

Logo of We Have to Live Here, Kolykhaiev's political party

Kolykhaiev is was elected mayor of Kherson in the 2020 Ukrainian local elections.[1][9][10] A party founded by him called "We have to live here" won 13 of the 54 seats in the Kherson City Council in the same election.[11][9]

On 30 March 2021, the Verkhovna Rada deprived Kolykhaiev of his parliamentary mandate.[12]

On 24 February 2022, the start date of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russian forces advancing from Crimea began the Battle of Kherson. The battle destroyed much of the city, with Kolykhaiev even having to allow volunteers to dig mass graves.[13] On March 2nd, the battle ended in a Russian victory, making it the first major Ukrainian city to fall. Kolykhaiev reported 10 Russian officers, including their commander, came into the city’s administration and, after some discussions, they came to an agreement on rules the city would have to follow while under Russian occupation. Kolykhaiev pushed for his own demands of the Russian officers during the meeting, which included the Ukrainian flag flying over the administration building because “Kherson is Ukraine”, tanks not being allowed into the city, and humanitarian aid / evacuations.[14] He later told The New York Times that the Russian officers had informed him of their plans to set up a military administration.[15] He expressed distaste for the situation.[16][17][18] He was replaced as mayor of Kherson by Oleksandr Kobets at the head of the executive of the town, on April 27th 2022.[19]

Kolykhaiev has two children.

Medal of Merit of Ukraine's Football Federation.

• Ihor Kolykhaiev on Facebook