Oleksandr Volodymyrovych Porkhun – Acting Minister for Veterans Affairs of Ukraine (February-September 2024), Deputy Minister of Health of Ukraine for Veterans Policy (September 2024 – April 2025).
Place of Birth, Education
He was born in Kyiv on January 21, 1987.
Porkhun was educated at several Ukrainian universities. In 2007, he received a bachelor’s degree in military sciences from the Lviv Institute of the Land Forces named after Petro Sahaidachnyi of the Lviv Polytechnic National University. In 2008, he completed his studies at the same university, becoming an officer of the military administration of the tactical level.
In 2017, he received a master’s degree in military administration in the field of defense after studying at the National Defense University of Ukraine named after Ivan Chernyakhovsky, where he received the qualification of a military command officer of the operational and tactical level.
In 2020, he also completed a master’s degree in law enforcement at the University of the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine.
Career
In August 2008, Porkhun began his military service in the 13th separate airmobile battalion, which was part of the 95th separate airmobile brigade of the 8th Army Corps of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU). During his service, he worked his way up from the commander of an airmobile platoon to the commander of a battalion.
Since March 2014, he took part in hostilities in the south and east of Ukraine. In the period from April 23, 2014 to January 6, 2016, he fought in the area of the Anti-Terrorist Operation in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Under his command, the unit took part in combat operations, in particular during the liberation of the settlements of Stepanivka, Krasnyi Luch, Alchevsk, Snizhne, Chornukhine, Telmanove, Starobesheve, Torez, Yasynuvata and more.
From August 2014 to June 2017, Porkhun headed the 13th Separate Airmobile Battalion of the 95th Separate Airmobile Brigade. In December 2017, he completed his military service.
On April 22, 2020, he was appointed First Deputy Minister for Veterans Affairs of Ukraine, and on February 9, 2024, the government entrusted him with the duties of the Minister for Veterans Affairs of Ukraine.
On September 27, Porkhun became Deputy Minister of Health for Veterans Policy. In April 2025, he resigned from this position.
Political Activities
During the 2019 parliamentary elections, he ran for the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine as an independent candidate, representing the 217th constituency of Kyiv. He failed to get a deputy mandate.
Marital Status
He is married to Alexandra Porkhun. The couple has a son.
