Kuchma Leonid

Leonid Danilovich Kuchma was born in the village of Chaikino, Chernigov region in 1938. His father died at the front, his mother worked on a collective farm, and his older brother and sister worked in the mines.
Graduated from Dnepropetrovsk State University, majoring in mechanical engineering. Candidate of Technical Sciences. Professor at Dnepropetrovsk University. Academician of the Engineering Academy of Ukraine. Winner of the Lenin Prize for the development of SS-18 and SS-20 missiles.
From 1960 to 1975 he worked as an engineer, then as a senior engineer, leading designer, and assistant to the chief designer of the Yuzhnoye rocket and space design bureau. At the age of 28, he became the technical director of tests at the Baikonur cosmodrome. From 1975 to 1982 - secretary of the party organization of the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau. 1982-1986 - First Deputy General Designer of the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau.
1986-1992 - General Director of the production association "Southern Machine-Building Plant", Dnepropetrovsk.
In 1990 he was elected as a people's deputy of Ukraine. Since October 1992 - Prime Minister of the Republic of Ukraine. He headed the state commission for carrying out monetary reform in Ukraine.
During 1993, he several times demanded that he be given additional powers as prime minister and announced his possible resignation if these demands were not met.
On September 10, 1993, another resignation request was granted by the President of Ukraine Leonid Kravchuk, and on September 21 by the Ukrainian Parliament. In December 1993, he became president of the Ukrainian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs.
In July 1994, he was elected President of the Republic of Ukraine. Re-elected to this position on September 14, 1999.
Hobbies include tennis, running, football (he is vice-president of the Dnepr football club in Dnepropetrovsk).

Source www.tema.ntv.ru>