Thus, the acting head of the capital’s traffic police, Colonel Viktor Kovalenko, becomes the full-fledged head of this difficult service.
Let us remind you that the former boss Alexander Ilyin left his post based on a personal statement and length of service. It was under him that the system of photographic and video recording of offenses began to actively develop. However, his service was marked by scandal. In 2013, a scheme for selling rights was discovered, in which 4 inspectors and 16 citizens participated.
And despite the fact that, according to the evidence, all the plots on the sale of rights related to the time when Ilyin was not appointed chief, he also received a penalty - he was declared incomplete for official compliance, which was later lifted. He retired in January 2014. Since then, only acting chiefs have commanded the capital's traffic police.
And Viktor Kovalenko was appointed to this harsh position, who, by the way, before becoming acting, was the main fighter against car thefts and crime on the roads.
He was born on September 15, 1965 in the village of Uspenka, Lutuginsky district, Lugansk region. In 1994 he graduated from the Donetsk Institute of Internal Affairs. In 2006 - Moscow Institute of Economics and Culture. He began his service as a police officer-driver of the PPSM in September 1988. His track record includes, perhaps, all areas of activity of the State Traffic Inspectorate: traffic police inspector, state environmental inspector, state technical supervision inspector.
In 2012, he became deputy head of the capital's traffic police and headed the 8th department - the one that deals with the search. And in 2014 he became the acting head of the Moscow traffic police.
At the same time, he immediately attracted public attention to his figure. When a scandal broke out around the new series of numbers in the capital region "777", he gathered all those interested, including advocates for motorists' rights, and showed how the system of assigning and issuing registration plates works.
He also gathered the heads of the capital’s driving schools to show how the new examination center works, and listened to all their wishes for improving the center’s work.
Since he has been working in the capital’s State Traffic Inspectorate for quite a long time and headed it as an acting chief for almost a whole year, his subordinates will not have to adjust to a new “unexpected” leader.
All the features of him as a boss are more or less known. Strict? Strict. It was thanks to his active actions that the so-called “Interception” plan began to bring real results. That is, criminals actually began to be detained. To achieve this, all interactions between various departments were completely revised, and controllers appeared on the road.
As soon as the Interception plan is announced, they immediately go to the designated area and watch how the employees work. And if someone is engaged in the wrong tasks, then there will be no mercy.
But those employees who manage to detain the suspect will be given incentives, quite real ones at that.
The RG correspondent was able to communicate with many people who, due to the interests of their work, encountered Viktor Kovalenko. According to them, they were struck by this man’s openness, his attention to problems and his willingness to solve them.
Even when Ilyin was at the head of the capital’s traffic police, a system of photo-video recording of offenses began to develop quite sharply.
Now work to improve it is actively continuing. Existing cameras will receive new functionality and additional tasks will be added to them. The plans include not only automatic detection of speeding drivers. In the future, cameras will be taught to recognize driving through a red light, entering the oncoming lane, and even the driver’s reluctance to give way to a pedestrian.
It is possible that new cameras will appear on the roads. Thus, on one of the sections of the capital’s roads, a camera is being tested that records the average speed.
Let us remember that such cameras are also actively used in the West, for example in tunnels.
It must be said that now there are a lot of employees in the traffic police with the prefix temporary duties. Most likely, with the appointment of Viktor Kovalenko to the post of head of the Moscow traffic police, many of them will soon get rid of this prefix.
The special company to combat reckless drivers will include former riot police officers, traffic police posts on the Moscow Ring Road will be reborn, and the speed on the Moscow Ring Highway may be reduced by 20 km/h. Viktor Kovalenko, head of the Russian State Traffic Safety Inspectorate for Moscow, spoke about all these innovations, as well as reductions in the traffic police, the development of the European protocol and the main task of the road inspection.
Victor Vasilyevich, what is the main task facing the capital’s State Traffic Inspectorate today?
The main task of the State Traffic Inspectorate is to reduce road accidents and the severity of the consequences, as well as work with the most vulnerable part of road users - pedestrians. Thus, over 9 months of 2015, there were 2,557 collisions with pedestrians (2,873 in 2014), in which 209 people were killed (268 in 2014) and 2,460 pedestrians were injured (2,753 in 2014).
This year, the number of accidents due to violations of pedestrian crossing rules has decreased by 12% - from 917 to 804 accidents. This means that both drivers and pedestrians better understand what should not be violated. In addition, this year the number of deaths due to violations of pedestrian crossing rules has decreased by almost 40% - from 66 to 40 people.
Also, more than 116 thousand drivers were brought to justice for failing to let pedestrians pass at the crossing. However, we punish not only motorists, but also pedestrian violators: 152 thousand pedestrians were fined for violating traffic rules - crossing a red light and jaywalking.
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Are there plans to install cameras in front of complex pedestrian crossings?
There are 848 cameras installed in Moscow, of which approximately 20% are dummies. This quantity is sufficient to control traffic speed and compliance with traffic regulations.
We must understand that we cannot endlessly install cameras and collect money for fines. Even if we talk about pedestrian crossings, we start from the hot spots of accidents and determine in advance the priority necessary work.
Otherwise, it may turn out like this: the Moscow government will spend money on cameras, but will not have enough money for markings or traffic lights. Dummies are used effectively: if the number of accidents has decreased in some difficult area, then the cameras have shown the result. A dummy is left in this place, and the camera itself is hung.
In addition, the State Traffic Inspectorate appealed to the Moscow government with a request to install an additional 600 cameras to perform general police functions and tasks. They will help in the search for stolen, kidnapped, and fledged cars.
We must understand that we cannot endlessly install cameras and collect money for fines.
If we talk about statistics, over the 9 months of this year the traffic police issued almost 8.8 million decisions in cases of administrative offenses. Among them, more than 6.9 million were for exceeding the established speed limit, and almost 948 thousand for driving or stopping in designated lanes. If the fine is not paid, the decision is sent to the bailiff service. During January-July 2015, the FSSP received almost 2.7 million decisions on cases of administrative offenses.
At the moment, through automatic photo recording on a general basis, owners of vehicles registered in foreign states living in the Russian Federation are brought to administrative responsibility. Currently, the State Traffic Inspectorate is preparing an agreement with the Federal Customs Service on the creation of a unified database of all vehicles entering the territory of Russia. After the project is completed, we will send fine receipts to car owners outside the Russian Federation.
We are preparing an agreement with the customs service to create a unified database of vehicles entering Russia
How do you deal with persistent non-payers of fines?
Since April 2014, the capital's State Traffic Inspectorate and the Moscow Office of the Federal Bailiff Service have been working together to find persistent defaulters with numerous outstanding fines. In the first 9 months of 2015, we found more than 800 cars whose owners were persistent defaulters. During 115 joint raids, 107 cars were seized and almost 43 million rubles were recovered. Nowadays, not a single legally significant action in the Moscow traffic police is possible without checking for timely payment of an administrative fine.
How many crimes have been solved using cameras?
In the situation center of the traffic police, a system has been introduced in test mode that allows you to identify in real time the license plates of cars that are wanted. When a wanted car passes within the camera's coverage area, the system receives a signal. The information is immediately transmitted to the duty stations of traffic police units so that employees can detect and detain the vehicle. Information about the vehicle’s movement is also received by the duty units of the district police departments, thanks to which the crews of the police patrol service and private security are involved in the search.
From January 1 to December 31, 2014, using the system, 8,725 cars were detained, including: 980 wanted for thefts and thefts, 158 for robbery, 1,851 for leaving the scene of an accident, 2,253 for identification and 62 for robbery. Over the 9 months of 2015, we detained 4,898 cars (384 wanted for theft and theft, 77 for robbery, 715 for leaving the scene of an accident, 2,136 for identification and 36 for robbery).
Please tell us about the START system.
The teleautomatic traffic control system "START" was created back in 1969 to increase the throughput of highways, traffic speed and safety, and improve the environmental situation. In 2011, on the basis of START, the creation of the Moscow Intelligent Transport System began, designed to effectively manage traffic flows. Currently, the ITS includes 2,134 traffic light objects, 2,059 television surveillance cameras, 11,770 road sensors, more than 700 km of fiber-optic communication lines, and 144 information boards on highways.
Are you planning to equip traffic police inspectors with personal video recorders?
Yes. Currently, all 1,678 patrol vehicles are equipped with Eagle Eye dash cams. The devices have been in operation since 2012, their service life is almost over, and repairs will cost an amount comparable to the cost of purchasing new recorders. Therefore, we want to take a new path - together with cameras on cars, use personal video recorders on the clothes of traffic police inspectors. This is a small device the size of a matchbox, it can easily be attached to a pocket or tie. The camera coverage is 180 degrees, the picture and sound quality is excellent. Unlike a camera on a car, a personal video recorder is almost always with an employee. We have already tested 30 devices. Inspectors were on duty with them on the Garden Ring and Karetny Ryad.
By the end of the year, every traffic police inspector will be equipped with a video recorder. Any communication with traffic participants will be recorded.
Why is this being done?
This will help overcome corruption risks, as well as protect the honor and dignity of employees. Recently, employees have actively begun to document the giving of a bribe to the registrar, criminal cases are being initiated for giving a bribe, and the court accepts the recording from the video recorder as evidence, since it is easier to prove guilt.
Any communication with traffic participants must be recorded. The rest of the time (in the dining room, for example), the DVR can be turned off.
For example, we recently held a “Seine” event to search for violators and found a drunk driver behind the wheel. He offered a bribe of 25 thousand to an inspector on the Garden Ring to let him go. Moreover, employees warn drivers that everything is recorded, and that attempting to bribe is a criminal offense. But even this did not stop the offender.
Recently, employees have actively begun to document giving bribes to the registrar
In your opinion, on which highways should the speed be reduced?
Reconstruction of transport interchanges continues on seven sections of the Moscow Ring Road; several rows of the roadway are occupied. In fact, at each construction site, the trajectory of traffic flow changes dramatically. Therefore, taking into account the traffic conditions on the Moscow Ring Road, there is a constant difference in maximum speed along the entire highway from 100 to 40 km/h. We believe that the maximum permitted speed should be reduced from 100 to 80 km/h.
Moreover, there is no liability for exceeding 20 km/h, and many people drive 120 km/h. And for a ring road with constant construction, this is too high a speed. I think that the speed on the Moscow Ring Road should be reduced to 80 km/h.
We believe that the maximum permitted speed should be reduced from 100 to 80 km/h on the Moscow Ring Road
What do you think of the "turn right on red" experiment?
In 2013, at the suggestion of the expert center Probok.net, an experiment to install an additional right-turn sign in the form of an arrow next to the red traffic light to ensure the possibility of turning right on a red traffic light was carried out at 5 intersections. Until September 2014, accident rates and traffic capacity were monitored on streets where right-turn signs were installed.
During the experiment, no difficulties in the movement of vehicles were identified at these intersections. At the same time, the “turn right on red” sign is not supported by expert organizations and the public movement “Union of Pedestrians” and is regarded as a threat to road safety.
Do you think it is necessary to legislate the installation of fenders that separate oncoming flows?
The installation of transport barriers is provided for by current regulatory documents. The rules for the use of road barriers and guide devices on highways, streets and bridge structures are enshrined in the national standard. Retaining barriers are installed on the sides of highways, on the lawn, the strip between the sidewalk and the edge of the roadbed, the sidewalk of a city road or street, on both sides of the roadway of a bridge structure, on the dividing strip of a highway, a city road or street and a bridge structure.
The State Traffic Safety Inspectorate has long been no longer part of the structure that coordinates project documentation, including during construction and reconstruction.
We work factually: we monitor the status of norms, rules, and standards in the field of road safety. If we see that a section of the road network has been commissioned, we check how well it complies with GOST requirements. If the requirements are met, then everything is legal.
There are deviations - we draw up orders, representations, appeals to the prosecutor's office with a request to influence within the framework of prosecutorial supervision. However, we informed the Department of Transport that on reconstructed and new Moscow highways it would be advisable to ensure the preservation of existing and installation of designed transport barriers.
We informed the Department of Transport that it would be advisable to maintain barriers on highways
What proposals is the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate currently preparing?
We contacted the Moscow government, the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the capital and the Main Directorate for Road Safety of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation with a proposal to tighten the requirements for passenger carriers and drivers of transport companies. Taking into account the analysis of incidents, we proposed to introduce into the legislation that a professional driver engaged in passenger transportation must have a total driving experience of at least 3 years. In addition, employers should be required to suspend drivers who violate traffic rules more than 10 times. Or if it was their fault that 2 traffic accidents occurred. Because in this case it is dangerous for the driver to trust people.
We cannot deprive him of his driver’s license, but we can legally prohibit him from transporting passengers. In addition, we proposed to legislate the term “dangerous driving” and the level of responsibility for it, to introduce a rating of driving schools that provide driver training, and proposed to increase the liability for persistent non-payers of fines, up to and including deprivation of the right to drive.
How many driving schools now have traffic police certificates?
Since 2014, the Moscow State Traffic Inspectorate has been accepting applications from driving schools for approval of work programs for driver training and issuing conclusions that the educational and material base of the driving school meets all requirements. A working group of the most trained employees of the examination departments was created in the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate, and more than 750 applications from educational organizations were reviewed.
To date, 347 conclusions have been issued, of which 126 were issued again (due to the expiration of the conclusion, when the name of the organization was changed, when the location of educational activities was changed), 69 driving schools were issued additions to inspection reports. Thus, there are now 221 licensed driving schools in Moscow; information about them is on the official website.
Over the nine months of 2015, drivers with up to two years of experience were involved in 763 accidents, which is 24.7% less than in the same period last year. These accidents killed 42 people and injured another 954. At the same time, in 24 accidents, novice drivers were intoxicated. In such accidents, 4 people were killed and 29 injured, which is 60% less than last year.
We are now compiling a list of driving schools whose students often get into accidents, and will send it to the Department of Education for state control and supervision. I would like to note that if a driver with up to a year of experience gets into an accident, then we take the data from the video recorder and look at how and who took the exam. If we have questions, we take action against the inspector who was the examiner. But so far no such problems have arisen regarding road accidents.
Are you planning to introduce numbers with series 797 and 799 in Moscow?
There are no such plans. When they were looking for which digit should become the third, so as not to duplicate existing license plates, they determined that only the digit 7 could fit. Therefore, they decided that in all regions of the country in the “region” field, the third digit would be 7. So, 750 became for the Moscow region, 761 – for the Rostov region and so on. However, I personally believe that the region code is, in principle, unnecessary. Currently, the Ministry of Internal Affairs has simplified the procedure for registering vehicles. Regardless of place of residence, any citizen of Russia has the right to register a car in any subject, so the region code does not carry any useful information.
How do traffic police departments work? Is there a plan to switch them to 24/7 operation?
We have switched some departments to round-the-clock operation. I'll tell you in order. We abandoned small “room” units and created 5 basic units – one for 2 administrative districts. Their operating time has increased to 12 hours. When it was considered that this was not enough, a 24-hour regime was introduced in two divisions.
It turned out that there are no fewer registration actions at night than during the day. Electronic queuing has been introduced in all branches. In addition, we have introduced inspector-consultants; there are about 40 of them in all departments. These people, dressed in bright red vests, help visitors if they have any difficulties. Some ask for help when accessing the terminal, others are looking for an office. They are, one might say, like “mother” and “father” for the visitor. Now, taking into account the reduction, we will recruit instructors-consultants in the halls from uncertified employees.
About 400 people were laid off
How many traffic police officers have been laid off?
Personnel reductions took place throughout the Russian Federation. Muscovites probably didn’t notice this; it went smoothly for the city. About 400 people were laid off. Of course, this is a lot, it’s about a regiment, very serious. Therefore, we immediately redistributed responsibilities, revised the work schedule, and the location of posts. In fact, Moscow motorists probably did not even feel this reduction.
What will happen to the traffic police posts on the Moscow Ring Road that are not working now?
Reductions in service at posts took place throughout the country. The post implies a certain number of employees working around the clock, but we cannot afford this now. Moreover, the posts are not located in accident hotspots, but perform general police tasks. Because of this, it was decided to liquidate them. But Moscow decided not to demolish the posts, but to take them over and equip them. The city repaired 11 posts. They are now in perfect condition, with the Internet and the necessary infrastructure. But these are no longer traffic police posts.
I can tell you a secret: we are now thinking about the caption for the post. Previously it was written "DPS" (road patrol service). But now the posts belong to the city, the Traffic Organization Center (TCOC). However, both we and the Ministry of Emergency Situations will use them. Seven posts will be used for weight control, and several more posts will be used for joint work with the bailiff service on persistent defaulters. All may be attended by employees of various services, including the State Traffic Inspectorate. Therefore, the inscription “DPS” must be replaced.
How actively do motorists use the government services website, including registering cars via the Internet?
Over 9 months, the division carried out 745,290 registration actions. 15% less compared to last year. Of these, 60,975 clients used the services electronically, which is 61.5% more than last year. However, their share is only 9.6%. We expect to increase it to 70%. I would like to note that more than 87% of visitors are satisfied with the quality of the services received. Therefore, I suggest that everyone who is planning to visit our departments use the appropriate service on the government services portal and receive the service electronically.
Please tell us about the special company for fighting reckless drivers. Is it already formed?
In order to stop rudeness on the roads, the head of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for Moscow, Anatoly Yakunin, created a special company that will suppress gross violations of traffic rules. The company was created by order, the first 11 people have already been selected. We try to select physically strong men whose eyes sparkle
Will they be paid extra?
No, they have the same salary and benefits as their colleagues.
Are you recruiting them from among your employees?
Not only from different police departments. Including, I’ll tell you a secret, they took several employees of the SOBR, OMON, and criminal investigation department. We need strong, healthy guys who are not afraid of those they encounter and will not betray the interests of the service. There is a careful selection process, the competition is higher than in universities. Of the 80 candidates who came, eight were selected. The rest did not suit us for various reasons. The selection criteria are quite strict. These inspectors will be real guards on the road, the elite.
What will their cars look like?
Some cars will be ordinary, without identification marks, so that they will not be visible in traffic. There will also be patrol cars, but all of them will be equipped with systems for recording violations.
Will they be wearing masks or not?
No, they won’t hide their faces, so everyone will know the characters by sight.
When will they hit the city roads?
They will start working in full force by December, by the end of the year, because they need to complete the train and prepare the transport.
Are there any plans to install new noise stripes on the roads?
In April, we sent proposals to the Moscow Housing and Communal Services Department to install noise strips in front of 150 unregulated pedestrian crossings. However, to date they have not been applied. I would like to note that the State Budgetary Institution “Highway Roads” is completing the application of “yellow” markings to all pedestrian crossings in the city.
What does the traffic police offer to improve the safety of public transport stops?
We propose, firstly, to install a waiting pavilion no closer than 3 meters from the side of the roadway. In addition, equip stops with boundary posts at least 1.5 m from the side of the roadway, install higher curb stones in entry pockets on acceleration lanes, and strengthen parking control in the stop area. At tram stops, the boarding platform needs to be raised. We sent such proposals to the Department of Transport.
How is the European protocol developing?
In recent years, road accidents have increasingly been registered using the European protocol. The number of such accidents increased 3.5 times – from 2 thousand in 2010 to 9 thousand in 2015. In addition, in 2015, it became possible to register road accidents in a simplified manner, without the participation of police officers. As a result, according to the results of 9 months of 2015, the number of road accidents with property damage registered by police officers decreased by 16%, and this is no less than 48 thousand cases. Thus, in addition to convenience for citizens, the European protocol helps the State Traffic Inspectorate to use its forces and resources more rationally.
Interviewed by Marina Kurganskaya
Photo "Rossiyskaya Gazeta"
Apparently, the head of the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for Moscow, Police Major General Viktor Vasilyevich Kovalenko, has been occupying the leadership position at Sadovo-Samotechnaya for the last few days. And although on the official website of the capital’s traffic police he is still presented as the deputy chief of the city police - head of the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate, in reality this is no longer the case. At least, on the Internet page of the capital’s police headquarters, he is no longer listed as a deputy chief.
And all because, as it became known, as a result of unexpectedly and lightning-fast organizational and staffing measures, the position of the chief turned from a general to a colonel. And due to the reorganization of the management structure, Mr. Kovalenko was removed from the staff and is now called the acting chief. To get rid of the derogatory acronym “interim”, he must be recertified and reassigned. But according to our data, this is unlikely to happen.
After all, all the organizational changes in the department were started precisely in order to get rid of them on the sly. Let us remind you that generals are appointed and removed from general positions, either in the army or in the police, exclusively by the President of the Russian Federation. And for colonels - the corresponding minister. And there is no doubt that the forces that managed to pull off the aforementioned restructuring of the Moscow State Traffic Safety Inspectorate have already agreed on everything with Mr. Kolokoltsev. Today, in narrow police circles, the names of possible successors to V.V. Kovalenko are even mentioned. And it’s interesting that all of them are not from Moscow. And this, probably, lies the key to the deposition of Mr. Kovalenko, who had held office since 2014. There are rumors in the traffic police community that some information has reached very influential police officials about very bad things going on in Moscow in the field of extradition.
And although General Kovalenko cannot formally be accused of anything like this, high-ranking officials are confident that he either connived with unscrupulous subordinates, or (even worse) did not control them. Let us recall that amid similar accusations, Kovalenko’s predecessor also resigned.
True, there is also a version about settling scores with the current acting head of the capital’s traffic police. Allegedly, he had a long-standing quarrel with one of his colleagues, and then completely set him up. And he did not forget anything, and having taken up a decent post in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, he decided to settle accounts with the offender in this way. They even say that the war of the two generals will not end there, and they will try to incriminate Kovalenko, who fell into disgrace. 286 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation “Exceeding official powers”, drawing into the case of his subordinates receiving “leftist” licenses, about which the portal “AvtoVzglyad” at one time.
However, no matter how the future fate of General Kovalenko turns out and no matter who comes to replace him, this is unlikely to have any impact on the lives of the capital’s car owners. After all, neither Kovalenko nor his predecessors were able to restore order in the registration departments of the inspection, where people are still forced to jostle in endless queues. None of them were able to return to the traffic police the right to organize traffic in the city, and everyone knows well how the Department of Transport does this. Problems with cameras recording violations also remain unresolved: their number is growing by leaps and bounds, but this has nothing to do with road safety. Yes, even with frostbitten majors who defiantly and regularly spit on traffic rules in particular and society as a whole, it is not possible to find authorities at the capital’s traffic police. But more and more often the media are writing about more and more corrupt exploits of Moscow traffic police. In a word - the gentlemen are fighting, but our forelocks are only cracking...
Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the city of MoscowViktor Vasilievich Kovalenko(born September 15, 1965, Uspenka village, Lugansk region) - Russian internal affairs officer, deputy chief of police - head of the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for Moscow since March 19, 2015. Police Colonel (since July 2011).
Biography
Born on September 15, 1965 in the village of Uspenka, Lutuginsky district, Lugansk region. In 1994 he graduated from the Donetsk Institute of Internal Affairs. In 2006, Moscow Institute of Economics and Culture.
He began his service in the internal affairs bodies in September 1988 as a police officer-driver of the PPSM.
Since 1989, he served in the divisions of the State Traffic Inspectorate:
Inspector of traffic police traffic police;
Senior traffic police inspector of the traffic police;
State Inspector for Ecology of the State Traffic Inspectorate;
Shift senior SSPM No. 17;
State inspector of technical supervision;
Senior State Traffic Inspector.
Since September 1998, in connection with his move to permanent residence, he served as an inspector-on-duty of the 3rd traffic police battalion of the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate of the Internal Affairs Directorate of the Central Administrative District of Moscow.
Since July 1999, deputy commander of the 3rd battalion of the traffic police regiment of the traffic police of the traffic police department of the Internal Affairs Directorate of the Central Administrative District of Moscow.
Since May 2002, he has become deputy head of the traffic police department of the Internal Affairs Directorate for the Central Administrative District of Moscow.
Since July 2011, after passing recertification, he was appointed to the position of commander of the traffic police regiment of the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate of the Internal Affairs Directorate for the Central Administrative District of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for Moscow with the rank of “police colonel”.
In November 2012, he was appointed deputy head of the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for Moscow - head of the 8th department.
Serving under special conditions
He took part in the liquidation of the consequences of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in June-July 1987;
He took part in the liquidation of the consequences of the earthquake in the Armenian SSR in 1989 (Leninakan, Spitak).
Candidate for master of sports in athletics, “paratrooper-instructor”.
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Excerpt characterizing Kovalenko, Viktor Vasilievich
There was an oak tree on the edge of the road. Probably ten times older than the birches that made up the forest, it was ten times thicker and twice as tall as each birch. It was a huge oak tree, two girths wide, with branches that had been broken off for a long time and with broken bark overgrown with old sores. With his huge, clumsy, asymmetrically splayed, gnarled hands and fingers, he stood like an old, angry and contemptuous freak between the smiling birches. Only he alone did not want to submit to the charm of spring and did not want to see either spring or the sun.“Spring, and love, and happiness!” - as if this oak tree was saying, - “and how can you not get tired of the same stupid and senseless deception. Everything is the same, and everything is a lie! There is no spring, no sun, no happiness. Look, there are the crushed dead spruce trees sitting, always the same, and there I am, spreading out my broken, skinned fingers, wherever they grew - from the back, from the sides; As we grew up, I still stand, and I don’t believe your hopes and deceptions.”
Prince Andrei looked back at this oak tree several times while driving through the forest, as if he was expecting something from it. There were flowers and grass under the oak tree, but he still stood in the midst of them, frowning, motionless, ugly and stubborn.
“Yes, he is right, this oak tree is a thousand times right,” thought Prince Andrei, let others, young people, again succumb to this deception, but we know life - our life is over! A whole new series of hopeless, but sadly pleasant thoughts in connection with this oak tree arose in the soul of Prince Andrei. During this journey, he seemed to think over his whole life again, and came to the same old reassuring and hopeless conclusion that he did not need to start anything, that he should live out his life without doing evil, without worrying and without wanting anything.
On guardianship matters of the Ryazan estate, Prince Andrei had to see the district leader. The leader was Count Ilya Andreich Rostov, and Prince Andrei went to see him in mid-May.
It was already a hot period of spring. The forest was already completely dressed, there was dust and it was so hot that driving past the water, I wanted to swim.
Prince Andrei, gloomy and preoccupied with considerations about what and what he needed to ask the leader about matters, drove up the garden alley to the Rostovs’ Otradnensky house. To the right, from behind the trees, he heard a woman's cheerful cry, and saw a crowd of girls running towards his stroller. Ahead of the others, a black-haired, very thin, strangely thin, black-eyed girl in a yellow cotton dress, tied with a white handkerchief, from under which strands of combed hair were escaping, ran up to the carriage. The girl screamed something, but recognizing the stranger, without looking at him, she ran back laughing.
Prince Andrei suddenly felt pain from something. The day was so good, the sun was so bright, everything around was so cheerful; and this thin and pretty girl did not know and did not want to know about his existence and was content and happy with some kind of separate, certainly stupid, but cheerful and happy life. “Why is she so happy? what is she thinking about! Not about the military regulations, not about the structure of the Ryazan quitrents. What is she thinking about? And what makes her happy?” Prince Andrei involuntarily asked himself with curiosity.
