Vladimir Yakunin: biography, photo. The family of Vladimir Ivanovich Yakunin

Vladimir Yakunin was from June 2005 to August 2015 the president of JSC Russian Railways (RZD). August 20 this year, Russian President Putin told a press conference that Yakunin decided to resign.

Since 2012 Vladimir Yakunin has also been president of the International Union of Railways (UIC). On 26 August this year, the UIC said that the vice-president will act as its president until the next General Assembly of this union.

Childhood and youth

Where did Vladimir Yakunin begin his life? His biography began in 1948 in the town of Melenki, Gus-Khrustalnogo district, Vladimir region. In his vicinity, in a small village of Zakharovo, his grandfather and grandmother lived with his father, a military pilot who served in the border troops. Soon he was transferred to the service in Pärnu (Estonia), where Volodya lived until the age of 14. His mother worked as an accountant. In 1964, after the father's dismissal from the army, the family moved to Leningrad, which Vladimir Yakunin considers his hometown.

Years of study

Does Yakunin Vladimir Ivanovich have a special railway education? His biography after graduating in 1966 secondary school continued in the famous Leningrad Military Mechanics Institute "Voenmeh", which he successfully graduated in 1972. As a mechanical engineer, he specialized in the design of long-range ballistic missiles. His professional career began at the State Institute of Applied Chemistry, where he worked from 1972 to 1975. The work was related to the development of technologies for the use of rocket fuel. In 1975, he was called up for military service, but held it again at the student desk - at the KGB Institute, which is now transformed into the Foreign Intelligence Academy.

The Beginners' Day

After service, since 1977, he worked for five years as a senior engineer in the management of the State Committee for Foreign Trade of the USSR Council of Ministers. Then three years he was the head of a foreign department in the Leningrad Institute of Physics and Technology. A. Ioffe of the USSR Academy of Sciences. There is reason to believe that his function included scientific and technical intelligence related to the search for information on the latest inventions and technologies in the field of weapons production. Yakunin himself in recent years, said that he served in intelligence for 22 years.

What did Vladimir Yakunin do in life? His biography, as befits a true Soviet intelligence officer, continued in the United States, where between 1985 and 1991 he was part of the Soviet diplomatic mission to the United Nations, the last three years as the first secretary of the mission.

Trying to build a business career

Could the life of such a person as Yakunin Vladimir Ivanovich go without trying to find oneself in business in the 90s? His biography again continued in Leningrad, where he returned in early 1991, resigning from the civil service. Initially, Vladimir Yakunin and former colleague Yuri Kovalchuk, a former colleague of the Leningrad Institute of Physics, founded LLP "NTP TEMP" and are trying to raise a little-known Petersburg bank "Russia" to their feet. In 1993 he became a co-founder of ZAO Semiconductor Devices, and in 1996 - CEO of the Business Center International Center for Business Cooperation.

This period includes his rapprochement with Vladimir Putin, whom he had known since the 80s. Apparently, on the recommendation of the latter, who became the head of the State Property Committee under the President of the Russian Federation by 1997, Vladimir Yakunin returned to the civil service in the same year and took over the management of the North-Western District Inspectorate of the Civil Military District.

From the controller to the transport department

From December 7, 2000 to February 2002, Yakunin - Deputy Minister of Transport of Russia Sergey Frank, is responsible for the development of the merchant fleet and seaports. On February 8, 2002 he became the first deputy minister of transport of Gennady Fadeyev and curator of railways. He held this position until the end of October 2003. In the same month, Yakunin became vice-president of the Russian Railways, headed by Gennady Fadeyev. "RZhD" was formed by the Decree of the Russian Government No. 585 of September 18, 2003. The company was established as a result of the first stage of the railway reform.

In mid-June 2005, a new head of the Russian Railways, Vladimir Yakunin, was appointed. After that, he was reappointed to this post three times, until 2014, by decisions of the Russian Government.

August 17, 2015 Yakunin announced his resignation from the post of the head of "RZD". Prime Minister Medvedev appointed Oleg Belozerov as the new president of the company.

Vladimir Yakunin, whose photo is shown below in the last period of the leadership of RZD, after his resignation suggests concentrating on scientific and social activities. His sphere of interests covers issues of international relations and relations, establishing a dialogue with other countries.

Scientific work

Since the beginning of 2006, Yakunin is listed as a scientific consultant and heads the Board of Trustees at the Center for Problem Analysis at the Russian Academy of Sciences.

In 2005 he defended his Ph.D. thesis on the topic related to the principles of the development of geostrategies in today's Russia (on the example of transport and railways). He has a doctorate in political science, in 2007 he defended his thesis related to the principles of state policy formation in Russia. He is the author of several monographs on problems of geopolitics.

Since the end of 2010, he is head of the state policy department at the Faculty of Political Science at Moscow State University. The Stockholm School of Economics invited him as a professor.

Public and charitable activities

Vladimir Yakunin is a member of the Board of Directors of the St. Petersburg Grand Drama Theater of Tovstonogov, presides over the boards of trustees of the two centers that finance projects related to the activities of the Russian Orthodox Church. He also runs the trustees of the Children's Fund, entitled "Spread your wings!". The Foundation supports disabled children, terminally ill and orphans.

Yakunin is vice-president of the Geneva-based International Forum "Dialogue of Civilizations", a member of the jury of the Rhodes Youth Forum, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Russkiy Mir Foundation and the Russian SIV.

Vladimir Yakunin and his family

"Russian Railways" played a decisive role in the life of their future leader. In his own words, the acquaintance with the future wife of Natalia happened on the train, and he made an offer of the hand and heart in the train. Today Natalia Yakunina is retired, but is a participant in several business and charity projects.

The above mentioned fund "Dialogue of Civilizations" of the wife of Yakunin was established jointly, and Natalia heads it, and Vladimir became its deputy.

They have two sons and four grandchildren. The eldest son Andrey lives in London and is engaged in hotel business. At present, he is implementing a large project in Russia with foreign investments in the construction of a number of modern hotels. Younger son Igor also studies in London.