Hennadiy Adolfovych Kernes^{[lower-alpha 1]} (27 June 1959^[2] – 16 December 2020) was a Ukrainian politician who was the 5th mayor of Kharkiv from 24 November 2010^[3] until his death in 17 December 2020.^[1] Previously, Kernes served as secretary of the Kharkiv City Council (2002, 2006 – 2010).

Kernes was born into a Jewish family,^[4][5] to Adolf Lazarevych Kernes and Anna Abramovna in Kharkiv.^[6] He graduated from the National University "Yaroslav the Wise Law Academy of Ukraine" with a degree in law and from Kharkiv National University of Economics with a degree in public administration.^[7] Kernes started his career in 1977 at the Kharkiv plant "Miner's Light".^[6] Between 1977 and 1979 Kernes studied in CTC-14 in Kharkiv and specialised in draftsman-designer on mechanics.^[8]

From 1979 to 1990, Kernes worked for a number of enterprises.^[7] According to his official biography, his career began in 1977.^[2] Kernes managed the production and trading company Acceptor from 1992 to 1994.^[7] He then became the chairman at CJSC NPK-Holding until 1999. Kernes was then first deputy director of the Kharkiv branch of the Trading House Gas of Ukraine until 2001.^[7] He then became CEO at NPK-Holding until 2006.^[7]

Kernes had a criminal record for theft and fraud; according to him, the accusations were "partly fabricated" by "his enemies".^[9][10]

In 1998, Kernes was first elected into the Kharkiv City Council, and served three terms there.^[2][7] Between April and May 2002, Kernes was the secretary of Kharkiv City Council.^[7] In the City Council, he founded and led the nonpartisan deputy group "New Kharkiv - New Opportunities".^[6]

In November 2004, he supported the Orange Revolution.^[11] He came out to condemn the actions taken by the regional governor Yevhen Kushnaryov. In 2006, he was elected to the Kharkiv City Council on the list of the Party of Regions, as a member of the party.^[2] In April 2006 Kernes became the secretary of Kharkiv City Council.^[7][12]

Prior to Mykhailo Dobkin's 2010 appointment to the post of the head of the Kharkiv regional state administration, Kernes had been the secretary of city council, the acting mayor of Kharkiv (March 2010 – 24 November 2010). In 2010, he had his candidacy nominated for the Party of Regions in the 2010 Ukrainian local elections as mayor of Kharkiv. In October, Kernes was elected as the mayor of Kharkiv by a small, controversial margin.^[3][13][14] On 24 November 2010, he took the oath and entered the post in early December 2010.^[7]

In January 2014, Kernes awarded himself a 25% pay raise.^[15]

Kernes was noted for holding a strongly 'pro-Russian' stance and for being a supporter of then-President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych.^[16] During the anti-Yanukovych Euromaidan protests in late 2013 and early 2014, he was accused of organizing anti-Maidan demonstrations, as well as hiring titushky (thugs that allegedly provoked and attacked Euromaidan supporters).^[17]

Following the Revolution of Dignity, after he and the governor of Kharkiv Oblast, Mykhailo Dobkin, had briefly found refuge in Russia,^[18] Kernes was accused of alleged connections to death threats, kidnapping and torturing of participants of Euromaidan in Kharkiv and was subsequently placed under night-time house arrest.^[14][19][20] This criminal case against him was dropped on 30 July 2014 "due to the serious illness of the suspect".^[21] He was accused, in February 2014, by the post-revolutionary leadership of promoting separatism.^[16] However, since then he was believed to have softened this position,^[16] pivoting to support an undivided Ukraine in line with Kyiv.^[22] In March 2014 he stated that he had been a "prisoner of Yanukovych's system" and that he expected "good things to come" from the new Yatsenyuk Government.^[23]

Kernes last public appearance was on Kharkiv City Day on 23 August 2020.^[43] On 15 September, the Kharkiv City Council officially denied reports that he had gone into a coma after becoming infected with COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ukraine.^[43] It was confirmed that he was on sick leave.^[43]

On 17 September 2020, Kernes was hospitalized in Germany in university hospital Charité, to be treated for his COVID-19 infection.^[44] He did not appear in public afterwards.^[45][46]

Kernes won the 25 October 2020 Kharkiv mayoral election with 60.34% of the votes.^[44] At the time of his election, his party stated that Kernes would shortly return to Kharkiv to fulfil his duties as Mayor.^[1] On 9 December 2020, Kernes was sworn in as Kharkiv Mayor without being present at the first session of the new Kharkiv City Council.^[45] Two days later, it was confirmed that Kernes had experienced kidney failure.^[45] Despite this, the public relations department of the Kharkiv City Council stated that he would "be able to perform his duties."^[45]

On 17 December 2020, the Kharkiv City Council and Kernes' friend Pavel Fuks confirmed that Kernes had died in Berlin of complications from COVID-19.^[1] On this day, it was also announced that, due to Kernes' death, a three-day mourning would be held in Kharkiv, with all entertainment and concert events and sports competitions being cancelled, but this was scaled back to one day on 18 December 2020.^[47][48]

Kernes was buried on 23 December 2020 at Kharkiv's 2nd city cemetery [uk], where famous Kharkiv residents are traditionally buried.^[49] His funeral ceremony was held at Kharkiv's Annunciation Cathedral in a service that was led by the primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Onufriy.^[49]

Kernes' first wife was Oksana Vasilenko; the couple divorced in 1985.^[50] His second wife was Oksana (née Haysinskaya).^[51] Kernes was a father of three children,^[2][11] including his stepson, Haysinskaya's son from her previous marriage.^[50][52][53] In January 2003 Haysinskaya appealed to the police department alleging that Kernes had injured her. Subsequently, Kharkiv billboards appeared with the message "Oksana, I'm sorry!".^[50]

Kernes owned 27 dogs, assorted birds, and other animals and since 2007 had lived in a Kharkiv hotel.^[54] His Instagram account was described by The New York Times as "eccentric"; Kernes claimed "Of all the mayors, my Instagram account is the best".^[54] He was known for actively promoting healthier living.^[11]

Since they met in 1998, Kernes was a close friend of Mykhailo Dobkin – governor of Kharkiv Oblast from 2010 to 2014, mayor of Kharkiv from 2006 to 2010, past member of the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine's parliament) and the Party of Regions candidate in the 2014 Ukrainian presidential election.^[54][55] A video (containing swearing) leaked in 2007 of Kernes instructing Dobkin is famous in Ukraine and has created a few national catchphrases.^[56]

In line with new anti-corruption rules, which compel all senior public officials to declare their wealth in an electronic database, Kernes declared in October 2016 that he owned more than $1.6m in hard currency.^[57]

• The Order of Merit third class (5 July 2012) – For the significant personal contribution to the preparation and conduct of the 2012 UEFA European Football Championship final in Ukraine, successful implementation of infrastructural projects, law and order and public safety guarantee during the tournament, improvement of international Ukraine authority, high professionalism^[58]
• The Kharkiv regional state administration certificate^[2]
• The Badge of Honor 'Slobozhyanskaya Slava', "For diligence to 350 years of Kharkiv foundation"^[2]
• The Medal '60th anniversary of the Battle of Kursk'^[2]
• The Medal 'For active participation in the veteran's movement'^[2]
• The XVII annual award 'Person of the Year 2012' in the category of 'City Head of the Year'^[59]

• List of mayors of Kharkiv