Viktor Chernomyrdin: biography and the best aphorisms. Chernomyrdin Viktor Stepanovich - biography

Prime Minister of Russia 1992-1998

Advisor to the President of the Russian Federation and Special Representative the Russian president on issues of economic cooperation with the CIS member states (2009-2010). Previously - Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Ukraine (2001-2009), Deputy of the State Duma of the third convocation, member of the Unity faction (2000-2001), Chairman of the Board of Directors of OJSC Gazprom (1999), Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation Boris Yeltsin for resolving the situation around Yugoslavia (1999), Prime Minister of Russia (1992-1998). One of the initiators of the creation and the first head of the state gas concern "Gazprom" (1989-1992). 1985-1989 - Minister of the USSR Gas Industry. Died on November 3, 2010.

Viktor Stepanovich Chernomyrdin was born on April 9, 1938 in the Cossack village of Cherny Otrog of the Saraktash district of the Orenburg region in a large family.

In 1957, Chernomyrdin began working as a mechanic at the Orsk oil refinery in the Orenburg region. In 1960, after serving in the army, he returned to the same plant: he worked as a machinist, operator, chief technological unit... In 1961, Chernomyrdin joined the ranks of the CPSU (he remained a member of the party until it was banned in August 1991).

In 1973, Chernomyrdin was appointed deputy chief engineer of a gas processing plant in Orenburg, and later became its director. In 1978, he returned to work in the party organs, becoming an instructor in the industry department of the Central Committee of the CPSU, in charge of the country's gas industry.

In 1982, Chernomyrdin took over as Deputy Minister of the USSR Gas Industry, and since 1983, at the same time, he headed the All-Union Industrial Association Tyumengazprom. It was noted that this period of Chernomyrdin's life included his personal acquaintance with the future President of Russia Boris Yeltsin, at that time - the first secretary of the Sverdlovsk regional committee of the CPSU, and with the chairman of the USSR State Planning Committee Nikolai Baibakov. In 1985, Chernomyrdin was appointed Minister of the Gas Industry of the USSR.

In 1986, Chernomyrdin became a member of the CPSU Central Committee. In the second half of the 1980s, he was repeatedly elected a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR (1984-1989) and the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR (1985-1990).

On May 30, 1992, by decree of President Yeltsin, Chernomyrdin was appointed Deputy Prime Minister of Russia for the fuel and energy complex. At that time, it was suggested that Chernomyrdin would also become the Minister of Fuel and Energy, and Kommersant even published an article claiming that such an appointment had already taken place (later information about this was not confirmed). In December 1992, at the VII Congress of People's Deputies of Russia, President Yeltsin proposed Chernomyrdin's candidacy for the post of Chairman of the Government (Council of Ministers) of Russia - she was approved by a majority of votes,,,.

The press wrote that Chernomyrdin's appointment "was approved ... as a necessary step in the then emergencies", since his figure was perceived as a symbol of a "reasonable compromise" between the political team of President Yeltsin and opposition-minded deputies. Subsequently, the Chernomyrdin government managed to become "the center of stabilization in the tense political atmosphere of that time" without abandoning the reforms initiated by Yegor Gaidar's government. However, it was also noted that, after becoming prime minister, Chernomyrdin pursued a policy under the slogan "What is good for Gazprom is good for Russia": under him, selling prices for gas were increased almost fivefold, and oil and gas enterprises were exempted from payment of export and partly import duties, and then from the obligatory sale of part of the foreign exchange earnings.

The prime minister’s loyalty to President Yeltsin was never questioned, despite the fact that Chernomyrdin never managed to organically enter the inner circle of Yeltsin’s associates. In May 1993, Chernomyrdin was included in the working commission for finalizing the presidential draft of the Constitution of Russia. It was at this time that a conflict unfolded between the legislative and executive branches of government, which in the fall of 1993 passed into a phase of open confrontation. On September 21, 1993, Yeltsin signed a decree according to which the Supreme Soviet and the Congress of People's Deputies of the Russian Federation were dissolved. The deputies of the Supreme Council, in turn, declared Yeltsin's presidential powers terminated and adopted a resolution on the appointment of Vice President Alexander Rutskoi as acting president. In response, Yeltsin issued a decree abolishing the post of vice president. The same decree noted that in the event of the resignation, death of the president or the impossibility of exercising his powers, the functions of the head of state are transferred to the chairman of the Council of Ministers, that is, to Chernomyrdin. Thus, the media wrote, Chernomyrdin "passively supported" Yeltsin's decree on the dissolution of the Congress of People's Deputies and the Supreme Soviet of the Russian Federation.

In April 1995, Chernomyrdin created and headed the pro-presidential movement Our Home - Russia (NDR). It was intended to take the place of the "party of power" in the elections to the State Duma of the second convocation in December 1995, but later it was perceived as "a party of officials or nomenklatura" (the paraphrased name of the association headed by Chernomyrdin was also mentioned - "Our House is Gazprom" ). Chernomyrdin personally headed the electoral list of the NDR. In the elections in December 1995, the movement took third place, behind the Communist Party of the Russian Federation and the Liberal Democratic Party. Chernomyrdin was elected to the State Duma, but refused the deputy mandate.

In the summer of 1996, Yeltsin was elected president of Russia for a second term. In August of the same year, the first government of Chernomyrdin resigned, after which Yeltsin again submitted Chernomyrdin's candidacy to the State Duma for approval for the post of prime minister. The deputies in the same month gave their consent, after which Yeltsin issued a corresponding decree on the appointment of Chernomyrdin as the head of the Russian government.

In November 1996, Yeltsin transferred presidential powers to Chernomyrdin for several hours - during the operation on coronary artery bypass grafting. The media noted that at the same time, the president demanded to simultaneously prepare two decrees - on the transfer of power and on its return. Yeltsin signed the second decree immediately after he regained consciousness after anesthesia.

In March 1998, Yeltsin dismissed the Chernomyrdin government. It was noted that it came as a complete surprise to everyone, since it was during this period that Chernomyrdin was predicted the status of "Yeltsin's political heir" and was called the most likely contender for the post of head of state. Kommersant in those days concluded that Chernomyrdin's political career was over. However, a few months later, in August 1998, after the financial crisis erupted in the country and the subsequent resignation of the government of Sergei Kiriyenko, Chernomyrdin was appointed acting chairman of the Russian government. However, his candidacy was not approved by the State Duma deputies. The magazine Profil wrote that if the left majority were convinced that after the approval of the candidacy proposed by Yeltsin, the president would voluntarily resign, Chernomyrdin would have easily passed the Duma. But since the president said that he was not going to leave, the deputies were adamant. On September 10, after two unsuccessful attempts to enlist the support of the State Duma, Chernomyrdin withdrew his candidacy from the vote. On September 11, Yeltsin nominated Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov for the post of prime minister, who eventually took over the post.

In the spring of 1999, during the crisis in the Balkans, Chernomyrdin was appointed special representative of the President of the Russian Federation for resolving the situation around Yugoslavia. In this status, Chernomyrdin took an active part in negotiations on a political solution to the Kosovo crisis, the cessation of hostilities and a peaceful settlement of the conflict. In the end, he convinced Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic of the need to surrender, with the result that Kosovo was placed under the control of a NATO peacekeeping contingent. It was noted that Chernomyrdin's contribution to the political solution of the Kosovo problem was highly appreciated by politicians in the West (the special representative of the President of the Russian Federation was awarded the Crane-Montana Foundation prize), and his efforts in the Balkans were called "constructive and constructive". However, other opinions were also voiced: in particular, it was indicated that the ceasefire agreement was signed on conditions extremely unfavorable for Yugoslavia, after which "Russian patriots of left and right orientation branded Chernomyrdin with shame." Subsequently, Chernomyrdin wrote the book "Challenge", published in Kiev in 2003, about his participation in the settlement of the conflict in Yugoslavia.

In August 1999, Chernomyrdin was elected chairman of the board of directors of Gazprom. In the autumn of the same year, Chernomyrdin, as the leader of the movement "Our Home is Russia", ran for the State Duma of the third convocation from single-mandate constituency No. 225 (Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug). In December 1999, he was elected to the lower house of the Russian parliament, (while as an independent electoral association, the NDR did not gain even 2 percent of the vote). In January 2000, together with another member of the People's Democratic Republic, deputy Vladimir Ryzhkov, having received an offer from the Unity movement, he joined his faction. In March 2000, Chernomyrdin headed the Energy of Russia association of deputies, whose activities were aimed at supporting the country's fuel and energy complex. In May of the same year, the PDR members at their congress unanimously approved the idea of creating a single party with Unity and All Russia (later, in December 2001, after the unification of the Unity movement and the socio-political organization Fatherland - All Russia "the party" Unity and Fatherland - United Russia "was created).

In May 2001, Russian President Vladimir Putin appointed Chernomyrdin Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Ukraine, the President's Special Representative for the development of Russian-Ukrainian trade and economic ties. After this appointment, it was suggested that Chernomyrdin, "with his enormous lobbying capabilities and ability to negotiate," in particular, was instructed to resolve the issue of privatization of the Ukrainian gas transportation system (GTS) and the problem of Ukraine's debts for the transportation of Russian gas.

In September 2008, assessing the events in Ukraine, Chernomyrdin criticized the position of the country's leadership regarding the war in South Ossetia. He rejected the assertion of the camp of Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko about the existence of "shadow agreements" between the Russian leadership and Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. "We will always respect the choice Ukrainian people... And who is after our hearts and who is below our hearts is outside this audience, "the ambassador said.

In April 2008, on the eve of his 70th birthday, Chernomyrdin received the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, III degree, for his great contribution to the development of Russian-Ukrainian relations (he received the award for Merit for the Fatherland, II degree in 1998). And in March 2009, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree on awarding Chernomyrdin with the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, 1st degree - for his great contribution to strengthening the authority Russian Federation". The Kommersant newspaper, which told about this, emphasized that the official was awarded the award shortly after the Russian-Ukrainian diplomatic scandal related to the publication of his interview with the Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper. In it, the Russian ambassador allowed himself" in extremely unfriendly terms about the Ukrainian leadership ", after which the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry even proposed to declare Chernomyrdin persona non grata in Ukraine. However, this did not happen,. The award was presented to Chernomyrdin in May of the same year. In his speech on this occasion, the head of state called him one of the most popular the country's politicians.

On June 11, 2009, it became known that President Medvedev dismissed Chernomyrdin from the post of Russian ambassador to Ukraine, at the same time appointing him as his adviser and special representative of the head of state on economic cooperation with the CIS member states.

On November 3, 2010, Chernomyrdin died. According to press reports, he was very sick, it was noted that the politician's health was greatly influenced by the death of his wife Valentina Fedorovna (she died in March of the same year). According to the published conclusion of doctors, the cause of death of the politician was myocardial infarction, which occurred "against the background of severe cancer and acute renal failure." Chernomyrdin was buried at the Novodevichy cemetery on November 5, 2010.

Chernomyrdin had a solid fortune. In 2001, as the owner of $ 1.1 billion among 8 representatives of Russia, he was included in the Forbes magazine's ranking of the richest people on the planet. According to the data of Chernomyrdin's income statement published in May 2010 as a representative of the presidential administration of the Russian Federation, in 2009 he received an income of 9 million rubles, was called the owner of several cars (Bentley Continental, Mercedes 500, BMW 745 and Lexus 430) and the largest landowner among all "the inhabitants of the Kremlin" - the owner of the site with an area of almost 60 thousand square meters , , .

Chernomyrdin - candidate of technical sciences. He was awarded many state awards, including the Orders of the October Revolution, the Order of the Red Banner of Labor, the Badge of Honor and Friendship. In April 2010, the politician "for many years of fruitful state activity" was awarded the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, VI degree, and became its full cavalier.

In the press, Chernomyrdin was referred to not only as "Viktor Stepanovich", but also as simply "Stepanich". His nicknames "Stakanych" and "Chernomor" were also mentioned in the media. Talking about how Chernomyrdin spends his free time from work, the media noted that over the long years of being in the "old" nomenclature, the politician "acquired quite nomenclature habits and preferences," in particular, he loved baths and hunting. They wrote that Chernomyrdin's entourage "treated with reverence" his drinking abilities "(it is known that, being prime minister, the politician preferred vodka).

The media have repeatedly published materials about Chernomyrdin as an orator and about the "speech alogisms" present in his statements, which give the politician a "specific coloring" to public speeches. It was noted that the politician's phrases, which have become winged ("You and I will live like this, that our children and grandchildren will become jealous!", "Whatever public organization we did not create - it turns out the Communist Party of the Soviet Union "," I would not pose these questions so perpendicularly "and others), on the Internet they were called" Chernomyrdinki. "In 2007, the" Wanted as it is better ... Nineteen evenings with Viktor Chernomyrdin, or How we were born winged words era "journalist Alexander Gamov. The press noted that Chernomyrdin was endowed with" rare psychological stability ", which allowed him to work successfully with the most by different people , , .

Chernomyrdin and his wife raised two sons - Vitaly and Alexei. It was reported that the politician's eldest son, Vitaly, had been in charge of one of Gazprom's subsidiaries, Stroytransgazprom, since 1995, and later took the post of deputy head of the department for work with regions. In August 2009, he appeared in Vedomosti as a businessman who controls the Slavyanka grain company (Orenburg region). At the same time, information was published that in the Orenburg region the Chernomyrdins "had more than 100,000 hectares of arable land, a pig farm, a dairy farm." Younger son Chernomyrdin, Alexey, according to the press, " for a long time earned by exporting gas abroad "- in 2006 he was mentioned in the media as the honorary president of the United Oil and Gas Company of Ukraine."

Used materials

Natalia Bashlykova... Viktor Chernomyrdin was seen off on his last journey. - Kommersant, 08.11.2010. - No. 205 / P (4505)

Viktor Chernomyrdin died. - RBK, 03.11.2010

Viktor Chernomyrdin died in Moscow. - Polit.Ru, 03.11.2010

Dmitry Kamyshev... Top with pockets. - Kommersant-Vlast, 19.04.2010. - №15 (868)

Alexandra Beluza... Every penny counts. - News, 13.04.2010

Irina Granik... The President and the Prime Minister reported poorly. - Kommersant, 13.04.2010. - №64 (4364)

Decree of the President of the Russian Federation... On awarding the Order of Merit to the Fatherland IV degree Chernomyrdin B.C. - Press service of the President of the Russian Federation, 09.04.2010. - №432

The wife of Viktor Chernomyrdin died in Moscow. - RBK, 13.03.2010

Rinat Sagdiev... Relatives competition. - Vedomosti, 24.08.2009. - №157 (2427)

Dmitry Medvedev has appointed Viktor Chernomyrdin as the President's adviser on economic cooperation with the CIS member states. - Press service of the President of the Russian Federation, 11.06.2009

Kira Latukhina... Decent - worthy. - Russian newspaper , 21.05.2009. - №4914 (90

Viktor Chernomyrdin was awarded the order. - Kommersant-Online, 24.03.2009

Ukraine is catching on Viktor Chernomyrdin's word. - Kommersant, 18.02.2009. - № 29(4084)

Alexander Gamov... Viktor Chernomyrdin: “Ukraine will not go anywhere from Russia? - TVNZ, 11.02.2009

Veronica Ost... Chernomyrdin: South Ossetia revealed a lot and revealed a lot. - New Region 2, 16.09.2008

Chernomyrdin chided the Ukrainian leadership for supporting Tbilisi. - News, 16.09.2008

Sergey Sidorenko... Unproven phase. - Kommersant-Ukraine, 18.08.2008. - №143

Putin awarded Chernomyrdin with the Order of Merit for the Fatherland. - RIA News, 09.04.2008

Biography of Viktor Chernomyrdin. - ITAR TASS Ural, 09.04.2008

Tamara Miodushevskaya... Viktor Chernomyrdin is 70 years old. - Arguments and Facts, 09.04.2008

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Biography, life story of Viktor Stepanovich Chernomyrdin

On April 9, 1938, in one of the villages of the Orenburg region, a boy was born, who in the future became one of the outstanding Russian statesmen. His name is Viktor Stepanovich Chernomyrdin.

First work and service in the army

After school, Viktor Stepanovich went to Orsk, where he entered the 1st Orsk Technical School. After graduation, Viktor Chernomyrdin got his first job. His career began at the Orsk oil refinery named after. V.P. Chkalov. However, in the position of a locksmith, he worked for literally a few months. In the same 1957, being of military age, he went to serve in Spassk-Dalny, Primorsky Territory. In the ranks of the Armed Forces, he was an airfield technician, having stayed in this capacity until demobilization in 1960. Having paid his debt to the Motherland, Viktor Stepanovich returned to the oil refinery, becoming a machinist, and then the head of a technological unit.

Mature years

In 1962, Viktor Stepanovich left for Kuibyshev, where he entered the Polytechnic Institute, graduating as a certified process engineer. But after returning to Orsk in 1967, he began to work in the local city committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, taking the position of an instructor. Party career of Viktor Chernomyrdin received new impulse after entering the All-Union Polytechnic Institute in 1968. Second higher education made him an engineer-economist.

After graduating from another polytechnic institute in 1972, Viktor Stepanovich left party work, going to Orenburg to a local gas processing plant as deputy chief engineer. He soon became the head of this enterprise and worked as its director for the next 5 years.

In 1978, Viktor Stepanovich moved to Moscow in connection with his transfer to work in the Central Committee of the CPSU as an instructor in the heavy industry department. After 3 years, he became a candidate of technical sciences after successfully defending his thesis.

The following year, 1982, he was appointed Deputy Minister of the USSR Gas Industry. While in this position, in 1983 he headed the VPO Tyumengazprom. After 2 years, Viktor Chernomyrdin became the head of the entire gas industry complex of the country, taking the post of minister. In 1986, he was again expected to be promoted - he was accepted as a member of the Central Committee of the CPSU. In addition, until 1989, Viktor Stepanovich was a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, and until 1990 - a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR.

CONTINUED BELOW

In 1989, Viktor Stepanovich initiated the transformation of the Ministry of the Gas Industry, headed by him, into the first state-owned company in the USSR, called Gazprom. He also became the first head of the new concern.

Russian statesman

On May 30, 1992, the decree of the first Russian president was published on the appointment of Viktor Chernomyrdin as Deputy Prime Minister. His area of responsibility included issues related to the operation of the country's fuel and energy complex. Six months later, he appointed Viktor Stepanovich as the chairman of the Council of Ministers of the country.

In May 1993, Viktor Chernomyrdin took part in the work of the commission to finalize the draft of the Russian constitution. In September of the same year, Viktor Stepanovich formally became vice president. This was one of the results of presidential decrees on the dissolution of the Supreme Soviet and the Congress of People's Deputies of the Russian Federation, as well as on the abolition of the post of vice president. According to those legislative documents, the functions of the head of state were transferred to the chairman of the Council of Ministers in case of impossibility to fulfill his duties.

"Our home is Russia"

In the process of preparing for the elections to the State Duma, scheduled for December 1995, in April of the same year, Chernomyrdin created the movement "Our Home - Russia". According to the results of the elections, the "party in power" took only third place, giving way to the Liberal Democratic Party and the Communist Party of the Russian Federation. Viktor Chernomyrdin, who headed the party list, refused the deputy mandate.

Second term

In the summer of 1996, regular presidential elections were held in the country. The incumbent head of state, who won them, again submitted Chernomyrdin's candidacy to the State Duma. The deputies agreed with the proposed candidacy. In early spring 1998 year

Viktor Chernomyrdin was born on April 9, 1938 in the Orenburg Cossack village, in the family of a driver, where, besides him, there were four more children. After graduating from the Orsk technical school (1957), he worked as a mechanic, machinist compressor unit at the Orsk oil refinery. In 1957-1960, Chernomyrdin served in the army, after demobilization he returned to the plant, worked as a machinist, operator, head of a technological installation. In 1962-1966, Chernomyrdin studied at the Kuibyshev Industrial Institute, became a process engineer. In 1967-1973 he worked in the Orsk city committee of the CPSU, in 1972 he graduated from the economics department of the All-Union Correspondence Polytechnic Institute.

In 1973-1978, he served as director of the Orenburg gas processing plant, and then was invited to Moscow to work in the heavy industry department of the Central Committee of the CPSU. In 1982 V.S. Chernomyrdin defended his thesis for the degree of candidate of technical sciences on the topic "Advanced processing of hydrogen sulfide gas using new components."

In 1982, he was appointed Deputy Minister of the Oil and Gas Industry of the USSR, since 1983, he simultaneously headed the Tyumengazprom gas production association in the Tyumen Region. In 1985 V.S. Chernomyrdin was appointed Minister of the Oil and Gas Industry of the USSR. He was elected a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR (1984-1989) and a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR (1985-1990), a member of the Central Committee of the CPSU (1986-1990).

In 1989, on the basis of the Ministry of Oil and Gas Industry of the USSR, the country's first state concern "Gazprom" was formed; in August of the same year, at the founding meeting of the concern, V.S. Chernomyrdin was elected chairman of the board of Gazprom. In May 1992 B.N. Yeltsin appointed him deputy prime minister for the fuel and energy complex. In December 1992, at the Seventh Congress of People's Deputies, the candidacy of V.S. Chernomyrdin was nominated by President Yeltsin for the post of head of the Russian government and was supported by a majority of the deputies.

At the head of the government

While holding the post of Prime Minister, V.S. Chernomyrdin did not lead an independent political line; he supported B.N. in everything. Yeltsin, especially during the October events of 1993. In the economic sphere, he actually turned out to be the defender of the interests of the layer of "Soviet directors" who sought to seize as large and tasty morsels as possible during the division of state property. He credited himself with preserving the integrity of Gazprom and not allowing private capital into the gas sector. The years of Chernomyrdin's tenure at the head of the government were marked by high inflation, a drop in industrial production and a drop in the standard of living of the population. Ineffective economic policy and the tax system caused the state budget deficit, a permanent process of delays in the payment of salaries and pensions.

"Our home is Russia"

In April 1995, Chernomyrdin headed the political movement and the pre-election bloc Our Home is Russia. Using the image of the ruling party and the administrative resource, Our Home is Russia planned to receive a significant share of the vote in the elections, to form a large faction in the State Duma, which would provide the government with legislative support and protection from criticism, both from the right and from the left. In the summer of 1995, a detachment of Chechen militants led by Shamil Basayev took hostage the staff and patients of the hospital in Budennovsk ( Stavropol region). All questions of the conduct of hostilities against Chechnya were under the jurisdiction of B.N. Yeltsin and the ministers of power departments directly subordinate to him. However, Chernomyrdin had to negotiate with Basayev, since the Russian president preferred to remain in the shadows. As a result of negotiations, the hostages were released.

In the December 1995 elections, the Chernomyrdin bloc "Our Home - Russia" won only 10% of the vote and was unable to form a sufficiently influential faction in the State Duma. This was a serious blow to the political reputation of Chernomyrdin, who was seen as a possible successor to Yeltsin. It became clear that Chernomyrdin would not be able to win the 1996 presidential elections. This led to the nomination of Yeltsin for a second presidential term.
Chernomyrdin continued to remain in the post of prime minister, since to a large extent suited the most diverse political and lobbying groups by the absence of his own political and economic line. In November 1996, he acted as the president of Russia during the operation B.N. Yeltsin's heart. However, over time, it became clear that the complex social and economic problems facing post-Soviet Russia are not only not being resolved, but are getting worse. A difficult situation has developed with the country's budget, the state debt to foreign creditors has grown to alarming proportions. In March 1998, President Yeltsin decided to straighten things out. in a radical way... Chernomyrdin was dismissed, and the government was headed by the young reformer S.V. Kirienko. However, this was a belated step, a catastrophe was almost inevitable - in August 1998, a default broke out in Russia. Yeltsin dismissed Kiriyenko and on August 24 again entrusted the duties of the head of government to Chernomyrdin. However, this decision did not find support among the State Duma deputies, and on September 11, the president was forced to appoint E.M. Primakov.

Later V.S. Chernomyrdin continued to play a prominent role in the social and political life of Russia. In April-October 1999, he was the special representative of the President of the Russian Federation for the settlement of the situation around Yugoslavia. Later, in 2003, his book "The Challenge" was published, which sets out the author's point of view on the Balkan crisis. In 1999-2000 V.S. Chernomyrdin served as chairman of the board of Gazprom. In December 1999, he was elected to the State Duma from the Yamalo-Nenets Okrug. In May 2001, President V.V. Putin appointed Chernomyrdin as Russia's ambassador to Ukraine, and in April 2003 he was promoted to the rank of ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary. He worked as the Russian ambassador for more than eight years, which contradicted the unspoken rule of regular rotation of the heads of diplomatic missions abroad.

In June 2009, President D.A. Medvedev appointed V.S. Chernomyrdin as his adviser, entrusting him with the duties of his representative on economic cooperation with the CIS states.

Notable sayings

V.S. Chernomyrdin is known for his statements, partly altered in the press and received the character of an aphorism: “We wanted the best, but it turned out as always”, “There was no such thing, and again the same thing,” “There is no worse vodka”, “The people lived - and will be! ”,“ We must think what to understand ”,“ We must not join. As we begin to join, we will definitely step on something ”,“ The principles that were principled were not principled ”,“ You’re not here ”,“ I won’t say much, otherwise I’ll say something again ”.

Parents - Stepan Markovich and Marfa Petrovna Chernomyrdin. My father worked as a chauffeur. The family had five children: Nikolai, Alexander, Natalia, Victor, Ekaterina. After graduating from Orsk Technical School No. 1 in 1957, Viktor Chernomyrdin began his labor activity at the Orsk oil refinery as a mechanic, a compressor and pump operator. After serving in the army in 1957-1960, he returned to the same plant, where he worked as a machinist and operator, and then as the head of a technological installation.
In 1962 he entered the Kuibyshev Polytechnic Institute, from which he graduated in 1966 with a diploma of a process engineer. After graduating from the institute, Chernomyrdin began to make a party career and from 1967 to 1973 he worked in the Orsk city committee of the CPSU. In 1972 he graduated from the Faculty of Economics of the All-Union Correspondence Polytechnic Institute. In 1973-1978 he headed the Orenburg gas processing plant, then returned to the organs of the CPSU (instructor of the Department of Heavy Industry of the Central Committee). In 1982 he defended his thesis for the degree of candidate of technical sciences on the topic "Advanced processing of hydrogen sulfide gas using new components."
Since 1982 - Deputy Minister of the USSR Gas Industry. In 1983 he was appointed Deputy Minister - Head of the All-Union Industrial Association Tyumengazprom. 1985-1989 - Minister of the USSR Gas Industry. 1989-1992 - Chairman of the Management Board of the State Gas Concern Gazprom. On May 30, 1992, he was appointed Deputy Chairman of the Russian Government for the Fuel and Energy Complex.
Elected deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR (1984-1989) and deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR (1985-1990).
In the 1980s, Chernomyrdin met Boris Yeltsin, then the first secretary of the Sverdlovsk regional committee of the CPSU.
On December 14, 1992, at the VII Congress of People's Deputies of Russia, President Boris Yeltsin, having met opposition from E. Gaidar's majority, put 5 out of 18 candidates proposed by parliamentary factions for the post of Chairman of the Council of Ministers, which was vacant after Ivan Silaev's resignation in September 1991 of the year. The candidacy of V. Chernomyrdin, then proposed by the President, was approved by the Supreme Soviet of Russia as Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Russian Federation in accordance with the law "On the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR," instead of the acting Chairman of the Government, Ye. T. Gaidar. By Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of December 14, 1992 No. 1567, he was appointed Chairman of the Council of Ministers - the Government of the Russian Federation. Since December 1993 - Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation. From December 14, 1992 to May 26, 1998 - a permanent member of the Security Council of the Russian Federation.
In May 1995, he was elected chairman of the All-Russian social and political movement "Our Home is Russia", which gained 10.1% in the elections to the State Duma in December 1995 and formed its own faction in it. After Boris Yeltsin won the presidential elections in July 1996 and took office, the Government on August 9, 1996, in accordance with the Constitution, resigned. V. Chernomyrdin's candidacy was again nominated by B. Yeltsin for the post of head of government and approved by the Duma on August 10, 1996.
After the formation of the Defense Council of the Russian Federation on July 25, 1996 and until its abolition on March 3, 1998, the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation V.S.Chernomyrdin was assigned the duties of the Deputy Chairman of the Defense Council of the Russian Federation.
On September 19, 1996, B. Yeltsin signed Decree No. 1378 "On the Temporary Discharge of the President of the Russian Federation" from what day and time V. Chernomyrdin will become temporarily acting in combination. President of the Russian Federation. During B. Yeltsin's heart surgery, V. Chernomyrdin performed the duties of the President of the Russian Federation in accordance with his decree from 7:00 on November 5 to 6:00 on November 6, 1996.
On March 23, 1998, B. Yeltsin, by his decree, dismissed the Government and entrusted S. V. Kirienko with the duties of the Chairman.
On August 24, 1998, he repeatedly acted as Chairman of the Government, but was twice not approved by the State Duma, and for the third time B.N. authorities.
On April 14, 1999, he was appointed Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for resolving the situation around the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Released from this position "in connection with the fulfillment of the tasks assigned to him" on October 7, 1999. In 1999, for the peacekeeping efforts in the Balkans and activities in the field foreign policy was nominated for Nobel Prize the world. In 2003, V. Chernomyrdin's book "The Challenge" was published, which sets out the author's point of view on the events of the crisis in the Balkans.
In 1995-2000 he was the leader of the movement "Our Home - Russia". In 1999-2001 he was a deputy The State Duma Federal Assembly Russian Federation from Yamalo-Nenets autonomous region... 1999-2000 - Chairman of the Board of Directors of OJSC Gazprom. It has military rank reserve colonel. V.S.Chernomyrdin - hereditary Cossack, is a colonel of the Orenburg Cossack troops and the general of the Zaporozhye Cossack army. Honorary Citizen of the city of Budennovsk.
VS Chernomyrdin was awarded honorary titles of many Russian and foreign universities and academies. He was awarded the title of Honorary Professor of the Moscow state university them. M.V. Lomonosov (January 24, 1997), Honorary Doctor of Bridgeport University (Connecticut, USA) (September 30, 1999), Honorary Professor of Moscow State Open University (May 17, 2002), Honorary Doctor of Sciences of the Russian Economic Academy named after V.I. G.V. Plekhanov (March 25, 2003), Honorary Doctor of the National Aviation University of Ukraine (March 15, 2005), etc.
From May 21, 2001 to June 11, 2009, V.S.Chernomyrdin served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Ukraine, Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for the development of trade and economic relations with Ukraine. On April 10, 2003 he was awarded the diplomatic rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary. Since November 23, 2007 - doyenne of the diplomatic corps accredited in Ukraine. At the age of 71, Chernomyrdin was the oldest head of the foreign embassy in Ukraine in terms of age and time of accreditation. As the ambassador of the Russian Federation, he worked for exactly eight years, thereby violating the rule of regular rotation of the heads of diplomatic missions abroad.
On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of V. S. Chernomyrdin in 2008, a book by the journalist Alexander Gamov "We Wanted the Best ..." was published, containing aphorisms and interviews with the politician.
On June 11, 2009, President of the Russian Federation D. A. Medvedev appointed V. S. Chernomyrdin as an advisor to the President of the Russian Federation, at the same time entrusting him with the duties of the special representative of the President of the Russian Federation on economic cooperation with the member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

In Moscow, in his apartment after a serious illness, a famous Russian politician of the 1990s, former Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin, passed away.

V. Chernomyrdin died at the age of 73. Officially, the cause of death has not yet been reported.

Viktor Stepanovich Chernomyrdin was born on April 9, 1938. in a large family in the village of Cherny Otrog, Gavrilovsky District, Chkalovsk Region. In 1957. Graduated from Orsk Technical School No. 1, after which he began working at the Orsk Oil Refinery named after V.P. Chkalov as a mechanic and driver of compressors and pumps.

In 1957. V. Chernomyrdin joined the army, and in 1960. at the end of the service, he returned to the plant, where he held the position of the head of the installation. From 1962 to 1966 studied at the Kuibyshev Polytechnic Institute, graduated with a diploma of an engineer-technologist.

After graduating from high school, V. Chernomyrdin began his political career. At first he worked in the Orsk city committee of the CPSU as an instructor, then as a deputy head and directly head of a department. In 1972. graduated from the All-Union Correspondence Polytechnic Institute, specializing in engineer-economist.

1973 to 1978 served as head of the Orenburg gas processing plant, after which he returned to the organs of the CPSU. In 1981. received the degree of candidate of technical sciences. In 1982. appointed Deputy Minister of the USSR Gas Industry. 1985 to 1989 served as Minister of Gas Industry of the USSR. In 1989. headed the board of the state gas concern Gazprom. He was a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR (1984-1989), a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR (1985-1990), and also a member of the Central Committee of the CPSU (1986-1990)

In 1992. V. Chernomyrdin becomes Deputy Chairman of the RF Government for the Fuel and Energy Complex. Later, in the same year, Russian President Boris Yeltsin appointed V. Chernomyrdin as chairman of the Council of Ministers.

In May 1995. V. Chernomyrdin headed the all-Russian social and political movement "Our Home is Russia". In 1996, after the re-election of Boris Yeltsin and the dissolution of the government, he was again appointed Prime Minister of Russia.

In 1996. From November 5 to November 6, he was appointed temporarily acting. President of the Russian Federation at the time of major surgery on the heart of Boris Yeltsin.

In 1998. the president of Russia dismissed the government of V. Chernomyrdin, appointing Sergei Kiriyenko as prime minister.

Since August 24, 1998 V. Chernomyrdin was re-appointed Acting Prime Minister, however, the State Duma twice refused to approve him, after which B. Yeltsin submitted to the Duma the candidacy of Yevgeny Primakov.

In 1999. V. Chernomyrdin becomes the special representative of the President of the Russian Federation for resolving the situation around the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, but in the same year he vacates this post "in connection with the fulfillment of the tasks assigned to him." For his peacekeeping activities in the Balkans and activities in the field of foreign policy, he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

1999-2001. was a State Duma deputy from the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. 1999-2000. - Chairman of the Board of Directors of OAO Gazprom.

2001 to 2009 V. Chernomyrdin was the RF Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Ukraine. In 2009. Russian President D. Medvedev appointed V. Chernomyrdin as his adviser. He also served as the special representative of the President of the Russian Federation for economic cooperation with the CIS member states.

V. Chernomyrdin was an honorary professor at Moscow State University. M.V. Lomonosov, Honorary Doctor of Sciences of the Russian Economic Academy named after G.V. Plekhanov.

V. Chernomyrdin is a full Knight of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", awarded the Orders of Friendship, Prince Yaroslav the Wise, the October Revolution, etc.