Denys Monastyrskyi

Good afternoon, dear readers! Today we would like to tell you about the life and work of Denys Monastyrskyi, a well-known lawyer, politician and Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine. Denys Monastyrskyi was born on June 12, 1980, in Khmelnytskyi. He is 180 cm tall. His main field of activity is jurisprudence. He has worked in various legal organizations and institutions, was a member of parliament from the Servant of the People party, chairman of the Law Enforcement Committee, and Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine from 2021 to 2023. Denys Monastyrskyi’s most famous projects are his involvement in reforming the law enforcement and judicial systems, as well as his public work in various organizations. If you want to know more about this interesting and successful person, read on.

Childhood and family

Denys Monastyrskyi was born into a family of engineers. His father, Anatolii Monastyrskyi, was a department head at the Khmelnytskyi plant of forging and pressing equipment Prigma-Press, and his mother, Liudmyla Monastyrska, worked as an engineer at the same enterprise. Denys had an older brother, Oleg, who also chose a technical profession. Since childhood, Denys showed interest in law, history, politics, and literature. He also loved football, chess, music, and traveling. He graduated from high school with honors and entered Khmelnytsky University of Management and Law.

 

He was married to Zhanna Monastyrska, who worked as a lawyer at the State Bureau of Investigation. They raised two sons, Pavlo and Mykhailo. Denys was also interested in Indian philosophy and visited India with his wife in 2010.

 

Education and professional development

Denys Monastyrskyi graduated from Khmelnytskyi University of Management and Law with a degree in law in 2002. During his studies, he took an active part in student government, scientific conferences, competitions and contests. He also did internships at various legal organizations and institutions. After graduation, he continued his education in the postgraduate program of the same university, where he defended his PhD thesis on “Problems of legal regulation of the activities of the internal affairs bodies of Ukraine” in 2005. He also held the academic title of Associate Professor of Criminal Law and Procedure. In addition, he has attended various advanced training courses and workshops in Ukraine and abroad, including in the United States, Germany, Poland and other countries.

Career

Denys Monastyrskyi started his legal career in 2000 when he became a legal advisor at the Prigma-Press plant in Khmelnytskyi. Later, he worked as an assistant consultant to MP Vitaliy Oluyko, and then as an associate and partner at Hillmont Partners. He also had experience working for the American organization Global Ties KC, which was engaged in cultural exchanges. In 2014, he joined the team of Anton Gerashchenko, who was an advisor to the Minister of Internal Affairs Arsen Avakov. He became an expert at the Institute for the Future and an assistant consultant to Gerashchenko. He was one of the authors and implementers of the law enforcement and judicial reforms, as well as a participant in the creation of the State Bureau of Investigation. In 2015-2017, he worked as a lawyer at Legal Consulting. In 2019, he was elected as a Member of Parliament from the Servant of the People party and Chairman of the Law Enforcement Committee. He initiated and supported many bills aimed at improving the work of law enforcement agencies, ensuring the rights and freedoms of citizens, and fighting corruption and crime. He also opposed Arsen Avakov and his policies, demanding his resignation. He was one of the leaders of the parliamentary investigation into the murder of five-year-old Kyrylo Tlyavov, which was caused by police negligence. He also defended the independence of anti-corruption bodies and the judiciary. In 2021, he was appointed Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, becoming the youngest minister in Ukraine’s history. He continued to reform the Interior Ministry, creating the National Police, National Guard, State Border Guard Service, State Emergency Service, and other units.

 

He also improved the working and living conditions of law enforcement officers, provided them with modern equipment, raised their professional level, and improved their interaction with the public and international partners. He was responsible for ensuring public order, fighting terrorism, smuggling, illegal armed groups, organized crime and other threats to national security. He also participated in the settlement of the conflict in Donbas, ensuring the safety of internally displaced persons, and protecting the rights of people affected by Russian aggression. He was one of the most popular and respected ministers in the government of Denys Shmyhal, but in 2023 he was dismissed from his post due to a conflict with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who accused him of lack of efficiency and abuse of power. He then returned to the parliament, where he continued his political activities.

The tragedy

Denys Monastyrskyi died on January 18, 2023, as a result of a plane crash in Brovary. He was flying in a SES helicopter with other Interior Ministry officials to one of the “hot spots”. The helicopter crashed near a kindergarten, killing not only the passengers but also several people on the ground, including children.

According to the SBU, which has launched an investigation into the case, possible causes of the crash include violations of flight rules, a technical malfunction of the helicopter or intentional actions to destroy the vehicle. According to the spokesman for the Air Force of Ukraine, Yuriy Ignat, it is too early to say what caused the plane crash in Brovary on January 18.

The death of Monastyrsky caused sadness, anger, grief and sympathy among the entire nation.President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared a day of mourning for the victims and instructed the SBU to investigate all the circumstances of the tragedy.He also expressed his condolences to the families and friends of the victims and promised to provide them with all necessary assistance.

Achievements

Denis Monastyrsky has had many achievements that mark him as an outstanding, talented, courageous and influential personality. Here are some of them:

• He is the author and co-author of more than 40 scientific papers, articles, monographs, textbooks and manuals on legal issues.
• He is the recipient of the Yuriy Lutsenko Award for his contribution to the development of the rule of law in Ukraine, which he received in 2019.
• He is a member of various non-governmental organizations, such as the Legal Hundred, Right to Protection, Reanimation Package of Reforms, and others. He is also a co-founder and Chairman of the Board of the Denys Monastyrskyi Foundation, which supports legal education, science and culture in Ukraine.
• He is one of the most influential people in Ukraine according to various ratings and polls. He is also included in the list of 100 most prominent Ukrainians according to Focus magazine.
• He is one of the most active and effective MPs in Ukraine, having initiated and supported more than 300 bills related to various spheres of society.
• He is one of the most successful and respected Ministers of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, who reformed the Ministry of Internal Affairs, improved the work of law enforcement agencies, ensured the safety of citizens, fought corruption and crime, and defended Ukraine’s independence from Russian aggression.

Conclusion.

Denys Monastyrskyi is an example of a successful, intelligent, dedicated and fair-minded person who has made a significant contribution to the development of Ukraine. He is not afraid of challenges, criticism, danger and opposition. He defends his views, ideals and values. He strives for change, reform and progress. He was a leader, an expert, a scientist, a politician, a public figure, and just a good person. We have great respect and admiration for Denys Monastyrskyi and his achievements. We hope that you found this article useful and educational. We would like to add a few quotes from Denys that reflect his views on life:

• “Law is not only about norms, but also about values that shape our society.”
• “Nothing is impossible for those who believe in their goals and work to achieve them.”
• “Women are a force that can change the world for the better if given the opportunity.”
• “We must be responsible for our actions, our words, our thoughts. We must be responsible for our country.”