Ivan Pavlovich Malakhov is former governor

Governor

A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...

 of Sakhalin Oblast

Sakhalin Oblast

Sakhalin Oblast is a federal subject of Russia comprising the island of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands.The oblast has an area of 87,100 km² and a population of 546,695...

. He is a naval veteran, attaining the rank of captain

Captain (naval)

Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....

. From 1981 – 1982 he was at Higher Officers' Courses in Leningrad

Saint Petersburg

Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...

. In 1991, he became mayor of Nevelsk

Nevelsk

Nevelsk is a port town in Sakhalin Oblast, Russia. Population 18,639 .-Geography:The town is located on the southwest coast of Sakhalin, 123 km from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, on the Sea of Japan.-History:...

, and in 1996 after graduating from the Russian Academy of State Service, he became vice-governor of Sakhalin. He became acting governor at the death of Governor Frakhudinov on August 20, 2003. He was elected governor in a run-off on December 21, 2003, and was sworn in on December 30. Malakhov has been instrumental in opening up the Sakhalin region to economic development and mineral exploration.

Malakhov quit over criticism over his handling of a relief operation following an earthquake in Nevelsk, southern Sakhalin in early August 2007.