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Vitaly Ganchev
Vitaly Ganchev
Виталий Ганчев
Governor of Russian-occupied Kharkiv Oblast; Disputed with Oleh Syniehubov
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; June 3, 2022
Preceded by	Position established
Personal details
Born	Виталий Константинович Ганчев; 24 May 1975 (age 49); Kharkiv, Kharkiv Oblast, Ukrainian SSR, USSR
Nationality	Soviet Union (1975-1991); Ukraine (1991–2022); LPR (2022); Russia (2022–present)
Alma mater	National Academy of Internal Affairs
Military service
Allegiance	Ukraine (2009–2011; 2013–2014); LPR (2014–2022)
Years of service	2009–2011; 2013–2022
Rank	Lieutenant Colonel
Unit	Ukrainian MIA Ukrainian Police; ; LPR Ministry of Internal Affairs;
Battles/wars	Russo-Ukrainian War Russian invasion of Ukraine Eastern Ukraine campaign Battle of Kharkiv; 2022 Kharkiv counteroffensive; ; ; ;

Vitaly Ganchev (Russian: Виталий Константинович Ганчев, romanized: Vitaliy Konstantinovich Ganchev; born May 24, 1975^[1]) is a former Ukrainian police officer and lieutenant colonel, who became a pro-Russian collaborator after the beginning of the Russo-Ukrainian War in 2014.

Following his defection to the pro-Russian separatist Luhansk People's Republic, he became part of the ministry of internal affairs in the LPR, and was the head of economic security department in the Zhovtnevyi District within the city of Luhansk.^[2]^[3]^[4]

In June 2022, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ganchev became part of the Russian occupation administration,^[1] and became the governor of Russian-occupied Kharkiv Oblast.^[5]^[6] He stayed in that position until October, when the 2022 Kharkiv counteroffensive forced him to flee into Russia.

Early life

Ganchev was born on May 24, 1975, in the Soviet city of Kharkiv.^[7] In 1990, he graduated from School No.31, and in 2008 graduated from the National Academy of Internal Affairs. Afterwards, he worked for the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs.^[8] In 2013, he became the deputy chief of police in Derhachi Raion, with the rank of lieutenant colonel.^[2]^[9]

Political career

In 2014, he helped support the 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine,^[10]^[11] and was sought by the pro-Russian separatist Luhansk People's Republic as a potential collaborator.^[12]^[13] According to the pro-Ukrainian NGO "Myrotvorets", Ganchev moved to Luhansk Oblast in 2014, and became the head of the department of economic security in Zhovtnevyi District within the city of Luhansk. He also had the rank of lieutenant colonel.^[3]

Russian invasion of Ukraine

In 2022, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russian forces began the Russian occupation of Kharkiv Oblast, with Ganchev responsible for the administration in the settlement of Kozacha Lopan.^[14] In April, Russian authorities announced their intention to appoint Ganchev as the head of administration in occupied Kharkiv Oblast.^[15]^[16]^[17]^[18] On June 3, pro-Russian authorities organized a meeting in Kupyansk, and officially named Ganchev as the governor of the occupational administration.^[19]^[11] Six days later, on June 9, the Security Service of Ukraine officially placed Ganchev on a wanted list for treason and collaborative activities.^[20]^[21]

During his position as de facto governor of occupied Kharkiv Oblast, he discussed plans for annexation of the territories into Russia.^[22] He also supported the creation of pro-Russian symbols, such as a new flag and a new emblem, along with making Russian the official language.^[23]

In September 2022, the Ukrainian military carried out the 2022 Kharkiv counteroffensive, which successfully retook most of the territories in Russian-occupied Kharkiv Oblast. The Russian authorities shortly moved the administrative center from Kupyansk to Vovchansk on the 8th,^[24] but the city soon fell also,^[25]^[26] and Ganchev fled to Belgorod Oblast in Russia. This was evident when Ganchev appeared in a photo op along with two Russian officials, Vyacheslav Gladkov and Andrey Turchak.^[27]

Western sanctions

In July 2023, the British government added Ganchev to its sanctions list for supporting Russian actions in Ukraine.^[28]^[29]^[30] The US Government also placed Ganchev under its sanctions list in February 2024.^[31]