Borys Filatov

Borys Albertovych Filatov (Борис Альбертович Філатов; born 7 March 1972) is a Ukrainian politician, journalist, lawyer, businessman, and the current Mayor of Dnipro.

Borys Filatov was born on 7 March 1972 in Dnipropetrovsk (now Dnipro) into a family of teachers.

His father, Albert Borysovych Filatov, was a lecturer at the Department of Philosophy at Dnipro State University, where he worked for 20 years.

His mother, Luiza Trokhymivna Filatova, taught Russian language and literature at the Chemical Technology and Metallurgical Institutes.

He went to first grade in Bamako, the capital of Mali.

His parents lived there at a former French air force base.

He studied for only one year, after which the family returned to Dnipro.

He studied at Dnipro school No. 73.

In 1993, he graduated with honours from Oles Honchar Dnipro National University with two degrees: History and Social Studies and Law.

In 1997, he defended his PhD thesis at the National University Odesa Law Academy in the speciality ''Theory of Law.

Philosophy of Law''.

At that time, he was the youngest candidate of law in Ukraine.

In 2000, he received a certificate to practice law.

Filatov started a lawyer's business, worked as a legal adviser and lecturer in civil law at the Academy of the Customs Service of Ukraine.

He participated in court cases, including those related to the interests of oligarch Ihor Kolomoiskyi.

Filatov is believed to be a staff lawyer of the Privat Group, specialising in the redistribution of corporate property.

Borys Filatov himself denies this, as during the same period he supported the processes related to Mykolaiv Alumina Plant, Odesaoblenergo, Ingulets Iron Ore dressing Works, Central Iron Ore Enrichment Works and other enterprises to which Privat Group has no relation.

Filatov has cooperated with a large number of financial and industrial groups in Ukraine.

In the course of his legal practice, Filatov often came into conflict with politicians who supported his opponents.

In particular, with MPs Inna Bohoslovska and Svyatoslav Oliynyk, the head of the Dnipro Regional State Administration Volodymyr Yatsuba, and former Prime Minister Pavlo Lazarenko.

In 2005, Borys Filatov began his journalistic career.

He hosted the author's television project Gubernski Chronicles on Channel 9, a regional TV channel in Dnipro.

In the course of his journalistic career, Borys Filatov paid great attention to investigations into the activities of former Prime Minister Pavlo Lazarenko.

Borys Filatov has made a number of TV films about his travels: Yugoslav Chronicles (2005) — about the aftermath of the Yugoslav Wars; Arab Chronicles (2006) — about the destruction of negative stereotypes about Middle Eastern countries; American Chronicles (2007, 2 parts) — about the customs and life of the American hinterland; Canadian Chronicles (2008, 3 parts) — about the fate of members of the Ukrainian diaspora; European Chronicles (2009, 4 parts) — about the pros and cons of living in a united Europe; African Chronicles (2010–2011, 3 parts) — about tribal hatred (tribalism), which can destroy not only Africa but also Ukraine.

During the Revolution of Dignity, he organizationally and financially supported the protests in Dnipropetrovsk, provided the protesters with legal and informational assistance.

For this activity, together with his business partner Gennadii Korban, he was persecuted by Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Vilkul, who influenced the regional authorities.

The persecution of Filatov and Korban began after the protesters were dispersed on January 26.

According to Borys Filatov, Berkut squads searched the offices of Korban, Filatov and partners under the pretext of looking for extremists.

They did not have documents authorizing the search.

One of the well-known “Maidan judges” (judges who persecuted Euromaidan activists) Mykola Bibik, decided to forcibly bring Korban and Filatov to court, which in fact meant detention and arrest.

On January 28, Filatov and Korban left Ukraine, after declaring that they were being persecuted for their citizen’s position by the authorities of the Dnipropetrovsk region, supervised by Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Vilkul.

As Korban recalls, Ihor Kolomoyskyi provided them with his private jet for an urgent departure from Ukraine.

As a result of the investigations, two television films were made, which revealed the essence of the charges brought against Lazarenko in the United States, and a book was published, The Lazarenko Phenomenon (2008).

In 2010, he moved to Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Television and Radio Company, where he hosted the Gubernski Prognozy (Provincial Forecasts).

In 2014 and 2015 he was a member of the Verkhovna Rada, the Ukrainian parliament.

He is one of the leaders and founders of the political party Proposition.

He is a member of the Presidium of the First Congress of Local and Regional Authorities under the President of Ukraine.

On 4 March 2014, he was appointed Deputy Head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration for Internal Policy.

On 6 November 2014, by the decision of the Central Election Commission of Ukraine, he was declared the winner of the elections in the 27th electoral district (Dnipro).

On January 30, 2014, Filatov announced that the court's decision to bring them to court was officially cancelled.