Leonid Hryhorovych Kosakivsky (; born 21 January 1950) is a Ukrainian politician who was the first democratically elected mayor of Kyiv, serving from 1993 to 1998. He was also a People's Deputy of Ukraine from Ukraine's 223rd electoral district from 1998 to 2002.
Early life and career Leonid Hryhorovych Kosakivsky was born on 21 January 1950 in the village of Chernivtsi, Vinnytsia Oblast – then part of the Soviet Union – to ethnic Ukrainians Yuzefa Myronivna and Hryhorii Mykolaiovych Kosakivsky. He received his secondary education at Middle School No. 17 in Vinnytsia, graduating in 1967. He later studied at the University of Kyiv Faculty of Radio Physics, Electronics and Computer Systems and graduated in 1973 before serving two years in the Soviet Army as part of the Carpathian Military District. After military service, Kosakivsky worked as an engineer at the Arsenal Factory in Kyiv from 1975 to 1980.
Political career Kosakivsky began working within the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1980, first serving as an instructor in Kyiv's Pecherskyi District. From December 1985 he worked as head of the organisational and statutory issues sector of the Organisational and Party Work Department of the Communist Party in Kyiv. Between June 1988 and April 1991 he was consecutively second secretary and first secretary of the Communist Party in Pecherskyi District. From September 1990 he was deputy head of the Revision Commission of the Communist Party of Ukraine. Kosakivsky graduated from the in 1989. In 1990, he was elected as a deputy to the Pechersk District Council of People's Deputies and to the Kyiv City Council. In January 1991, he became the Head of the Pechersk District Council of People's Deputies and its executive committee. From April 1992, Kosakivsky served as the Representative of the President of Ukraine in the Pechersk District.
Mayor of Kyiv President Leonid Kravchuk removed from the position of Presidential Representative in Kyiv on 12 April 1993 and appointed Leonid Kosakivsky to this position, who had previously held the post of the President of Ukraine's representative in the Pecherskyi district of the city of Kyiv. On the eve of the appointment, on April 20, 1993, a session of the Kyiv City Council considered the issue of approving the candidacy of Leonid Kosakivsky for the position of the President's Representative in the city. During the vote, his candidacy was supported by 110 deputies (primarily the left wing of the political spectrum — roughly half of the 222 deputies who participated in the voting), while 105 deputies (the national-democrats) voted against. As a result, the candidacy was not approved,Рішення Київської міської Ради народних депутатів від 20 квітня 1993 року № 25 // Хрещатик : газета. — 1993. — 29 квітня. but no other decision on the matter was adopted either. Relying on the provisions of Part 4, Article 2 of the then-current Law of Ukraine "On the Representative of the President of Ukraine",Закон України «Про Представника Президента України» (редакція від 16 березня 1993) which granted the head of state the right to appoint his Representative at his own discretion if the Council failed to make any decision on the proposed candidacy within two weeks, President of Ukraine Leonid Kravchuk on April 29, 1993, appointed Leonid Kosakivsky to this position.Decree of the President of Ukraine from 29 квітня 1993 year № 152/93 «Про Представника Президента України у місті Києві» This decision caused dissatisfaction among some deputies who had opposed his candidacy. Nevertheless, after Leonid Kosakivsky's appointment as the President's Representative in the capital, relations between the city state administration and the City Council and its chairman, Vasyl Nesterenko, took on a more civilized character than during the tenure of Kosakivsky's predecessor, Ivan Salii.Новосвитняя Екатерина. Вернуть столице ее лицо. Материалы встречи в редакции газеты с председателем Киевсовета Василием Нестеренко и новым главой городской администрации Леонидом Косаковским // Вечерний Киев : газета. — Киев, 1993. — 29 мая. At that time, relations between the representative and executive branches of power in Kyiv had been predominantly confrontational. With Kosakivsky's arrival, the situation changed. On May 19, 1993, the newspaper Vechirniy Kyiv noted that "with the change of leadership, the 'cold war' waged by the former administration against the City Council came to an end. From the very first moments of his appointment, through his actions and statements, Leonid Kosakivsky pursued an exceptionally correct policy toward the City Council and initiated joint work, as prescribed by law." Subsequently, their contacts were maintained in such a working state that did not hinder their common cause.
A February 1994 law provided for direct elections to the heads of Ukraine's municipalities, including Kyiv.Закон України «Про формування місцевих органів влади і самоврядування» (редакція від 3 лютого 1994). The first round of the election on June 26, 1994, did not produce a winner: Leonid Kosakivsky received 324,024 votes (17.05% of all registered voters), Volodymyr Cherniak — 294,194 (15.48%), and Ivan Salii — 249,963 (13.15%).Повідомлення територіальної виборчої комісії по виборах депутатів і голови Київської міської Ради народних депутатів // Хрещатик : газета. — Київ, 1994. — 2 липня. Leonid Kosakivsky and Volodymyr Cherniak, the head of the public association "Stolytsia" and a member of the "People's Movement of Ukraine," advanced to the second round. Following the voting on July 10, 1994, Leonid Kosakivsky emerged victorious, securing 549,904 votes (29.59% of all registered voters, or 54.6% of those who participated in the voting). His opponent received 403,367 votes (21.71%).Повідомлення територіальної виборчої комісії по виборах депутатів і голови Київської міської Ради народних депутатів // Хрещатик : газета. — Київ, 1994. — 15 липня. At the same time, among the 68 deputies elected to the city council, most seats were won by representatives of parties and groups opposed to Leonid Kosakivsky Виступ голови територіальної виборчої комісії О. В. Пшеничної на першій сесії новообраної Київради 2 серпня 1994 року // Хрещатик : газета. — Київ, 1994. — 5 серпня. Kosakivsky's connection to Kravchuk, who was simultaneously running in the that year's presidential election, led Kravchuk to win the city in his own election, though he was not ultimately elected. Іn the presidential elections held in Kyiv on the same day, Kuchma received 200,000 fewer votes than Kosakivsky did in the mayoral election.Влад Сюсаренко.Леонід Косаківський: Київ — найкраще місто на землі // Український інтерес : газета. — 2019. — 19 вересня.
So, on July 10, 1994, for the first time in Kyiv's history, Kosakivsky was elected Head of the Kyiv City Council in free and democratic direct elections by the city's residents. As he stated immediately after the election, his objective was to act as a mayor for all citizens—not beholden to political factions—and to uphold the city's interests in every sphere, as he had pledged during his campaign. As mayor, during the period when Kosakivsky actually held leadership positions, he placed a strategic emphasis on supporting the industrial and scientific potential of Kyiv. Construction activity was preserved and revived. Between 1994 and 1995, 1.6 times more residential housing and four times as many schools and kindergartens were built compared to the following two years (1996–1997), after he was removed from executive office. The decision was made to launch the renovation of buildings constructed in the 1960s. Urban transport infrastructure also improved markedly: the city acquired a significant number of new buses, trolleybuses, and trams. A metro development plan extending to 2010 was approved and set in motion. 4 new metro stations have been opened. For the first time, a municipal summer recreation program for children was introduced with funding from the city budget. Special attention was devoted to expanding social services and veteran support. The city's financial condition remained stable, and Kyiv demonstrated the best economic performance indicators among Ukrainian cities. This period was also marked by notable developments in the cultural and spiritual life of the capital. Kyiv reinstated its historic coat of arms and flag. Traditional fairs were revived, and restoration efforts began for key historical and cultural landmarks. The monument to Grand Princess Olga was reconstructed, and approval was granted for the restoration of the Church of the Virgin Mary of Pyrohiv, as well as the Mykhailivskyi and Assumption cathedrals. The names of prominent figures such as Serge Lifar and Vladimir Horowitz were restored to their city of origin, and competitions bearing their names were established. One of Kyiv's most beloved recreational sites, Spivoche Pole ("Singing Field"), was developed during this time. In 1993, a memorial sign was erected on St. Michael's Square in Kyiv to the victims of the Holodomor in Ukraine (1932–1933).Тимур Маслов. Перший очільник Києва Леонід Косаківський про "злобудовників" та боротьбу за владу в столиці // ТиКиїв : вебсайт. — 2024. — 19 березня. On April 30, 1995, a solemn opening of the Memorial Complex in memory of the victims of the political repressions of the 1930s Great Purge took place in Bykivnia Bykivnia graves, with the participation of thousands of public representatives, families of the repressed, the Kyiv City Mayor, and deputies.ПАМʼЯТЬ ПРО БИКІВНЯНСЬКУ ТРАГЕДІЮ// Хрещатик : газета. — 1995. — 12 травня.30-річчя Меморіального комплексу у Биківнянському лісі // НІМЗ Биківнянські могили: офіційний YouTube канал. — 2025. — 30 квітня. As mayor, Kosakivsky moved decisively to protect the city's extensive architectural heritage, prohibiting the construction of modern buildings and the destruction of historical buildings in historical parts of Kyiv. Kosakivsky also expelled street vendors from Khreshchatyk, Kyiv's main street.Kosakivsky's government signed agreements with Kyiv's universities, intending to use graduates to develop the local economy and cultural heritage.
However, Kosakivsky faced mounting resistance. Central authorities grew increasingly concerned about the city's growing autonomy and the Kyiv Council Chairman's refusal to surrender key municipal assets to state ownership, to allocate land for government housing, or to prioritize elite construction projects. Particularly controversial were his objections to redirecting city funds toward the renovation of the Palace of Culture "Ukraine"—he proposed instead to allocate those resources for metro expansion. He also denied land for the construction of a high-rise "President-Hotel" near Mariinskyi Park and opposed elite residential development on Desiatynna Street, 10.