"Divorced, but remained a couple." Who is the former Sverdlovsk vice-governor Oleg Chemezov?

      Last Thursday, September 25, Sverdlovsk Oblast Governor Denis Pasler, by his decree, dismissed his deputy Oleg Chemezov, who, according to the General Prosecutor’s Office and the Investigative Committee, is involved in corruption cases. The portal E1.RU has compiled biographical data — strokes for the portrait of the official.

      Oleg Chemezov is a native of Sverdlovsk. He was born in 1964 into a family of doctors. Oleg followed in his parents’ footsteps and graduated from the medical institute in Tyumen. Like his father, he worked as a psychiatrist, headed the territorial compulsory medical insurance (OMS) fund, and was a deputy of the Tyumen Regional Duma representing KhMAO–Yugra.

      In 2004 the then-governor of Tyumen Oblast, Sergey Sobyanin, brought Oleg Chemezov into his team, making him first deputy for economic affairs. When Sobyanin was transferred to Moscow, Chemezov moved into the oil industry, where he held senior positions, and at the same time served as a deputy in Tyumen — first in the city duma, then in the regional duma. In 2013 he joined the construction company "Partikom," E1.RU reports.

      Chemezov’s return to public service took place in 2019 — the governor of Sverdlovsk Oblast, Yevgeny Kuyvashev, with whom Oleg Chemezov was acquainted from their work in KhMAO, appointed him his deputy. Yevgeny Kuyvashev was mayor of Tyumen from 2007 to 2011, during which time Chemezov served as a deputy in that duma.

      Notably, unlike Pavel Krekov, Chemezov kept his post even after Yevgeny Kuyvashev’s resignation. It was he, as vice-governor for internal policy, who was responsible for Denis Pasler’s election campaign.

      Oleg Chemezov is married for the second time and has five children. His first wife, Irina, died of cancer and is buried in Tyumen. His current wife is also named Irina. In 2016 the Chemezovs divorced, but remained a couple.