First Head of the Ministry of Defense Press Service Oleksandr Kluban Passes Away

According to Ukrinform, Oleksandr Kluban, a distinguished Ukrainian statesman and the first leader of the press service of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, has died. His career encompassed critical phases in the history of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, including the liquidation of the consequences of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster and participation in combat operations.

Born on January 30, 1960, in Tyvriv, Vinnytsia Oblast, Kluban's family later moved to Vinnytsia, where he enrolled in the journalism faculty of the Lviv Higher Military Political School, marking the beginning of his career. He initially worked as a correspondent for a divisional newspaper in the Kyiv Military District before transitioning to a position at the district newspaper.

Kluban was an active participant in the team of Ukraine's first Minister of Defense, Kostiantyn Morozov, who was involved in building the Ukrainian military. He played a crucial role in establishing communication channels between the military and civilian press, as well as organizing the information structure of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Thanks to his initiatives, press centers were established in the Armed Forces and military districts, and press officer positions were introduced in military units, significantly contributing to the development of the military department's information structure.

In the 1990s, during the division of the Soviet Black Sea Fleet, the press service of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine faced anti-Ukrainian activities from the Black Sea Fleet's press center. Ukrainian military information officers had to counter Russian misinformation campaigns in the information space. This experience laid the groundwork for many documents from the Ministry of Defense that outlined strategies for informational resistance against adversaries.

While leading the Department of Press and Media Relations at the Ministry of Defense, Kluban's unit adopted a new function — countering real information threats to national security. This was a significant step in ensuring Ukraine's information security.

In 2014, at the onset of the Russian Federation's aggression against Ukraine, Kluban actively participated in training press officers for the Ukrainian Armed Forces' units. He was also one of the initiators of establishing the Department of Military Journalism at the Military Institute of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, where he served as a professor for an extended period. Under his guidance, numerous international conferences were held, and textbooks and manuals for cadets were published.

In recent years, Kluban worked as a research staff member at the research center of the Military Institute of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. His academic interests encompassed journalism and communication development. Until his last days, he actively contributed to scholarly works, leaving a significant impact on the evolution of military journalism.

It is worth noting that recently, at the age of 74, another prominent Ukrainian statesman, former Minister of Finance Ihor Mityukov, also passed away. The loss of such distinguished figures leaves a profound mark on the history of Ukraine.

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