Vitaliy Chuhunnikov

Vitaliy Semenovych Chuhunnikov (Ukrainian: Віталій Семенович Чугунніков; born 21 May 1974) is a Ukrainian politician and entrepreneur. Chuhunnikov previously served as Governor of Rivne Oblast, representing the UDAR party, from 2014 to 2016 during the presidency of Petro Poroshenko and as a People's Deputy of Ukraine in the Verkhovna Rada from 2012 to 2014.

Chuhunnikov was born on 21 May 1974 in Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, which was then part of Odesa Oblast in the Ukrainian SSR.^[1] After graduating from secondary school, he attended Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute, where he graduated from in 1996 with a degree in mechanical engineering.^[1] After graduation, he started work in the telecommunications industry, working in various jobs until 2003.^[1] From 2003 to 2005 he became head of the sales department for «Караван-плюс» (Karavan-Plus), an advertising company located within Kherson. From 2006 up until his election to the Rada, he was the director of the company called "Ukr-Kom" inn Rivne.^[1]

Prior to entering the Rada, he served as head of the Rivne regional branch for the UDAR party.^[1] During the 2012 Ukrainian parliamentary election, he ran for a seat to be a People's Deputy of Ukraine for the 7th convocation as a member of UDAR which was then led by Vitali Klitschko, which he managed to win as he was no. 18 on the party list.^[1] During his time in the Rada, he served as Secretary of the Committee on Construction, Urban Development, Housing and Communal Services, and Regional Policy.^[1] He served in this position until 2014.

In 2014-2016, he served as a Governor of Rivne Oblast. During this time, in 2015, he attempted to run in the 2015 local elections for the Rivne Regional Council under European Solidarity, but was not elected.^[2]

He is married to Iryna Volodymyrivna, who is a private entrepreneur, and together they have two daughters named Viktoriia and Maryna.^[1]