Oleg Chirkunov

Oleg Anatolyevich Chirkunov (, ; born 15 November 1958) is a Russian politician who served as the governor of Perm Krai from 12 March 2004 to 28 April 2012. Early life He graduated from Perm State Technical University in 1981 and received a degree from the Higher School of the KGB of the USSR in Moscow in 1985, after which he entered service in the KGB. He subsequently graduated from the Law Department of Perm State University in 1988. He received his PhD in economics in 1990. Career Chirkunov was the trade representative of Russia to Switzerland from 1991 to 1994. After that he worked with the business group «Eks». He was also a deputy of legislative assembly of Perm Oblast from 1997 to 2000. After this he became the representative of the region at Federation Council of Russia. He was appointed acting governor of Perm Oblast in 2004, and was confirmed as governor of Perm Krai in 2005 (after the merger of Perm Oblast and Komi-Permyak Autonomous Okrug). Chirkunov played a role in Vladimir Putin's rise to power, something he came to regret.