Born in Moscow into a working-class family. Completed his studies at the I.I. Gubkin Moscow Institute of Oil and Gas Industry. From 1964 to 1986 he was department head at the USSR Ministry of Chemical Industry and director-general of the scientific production association Neftekhimavtomatika. A member of the CPSU from 1968 to 1991. From 1987 to 1990 he was a deputy to the Supreme Soviet of the Russian Federation.
In 1987 he became first deputy chairman of the Moscow City Executive Committee and simultaneously chairman of the Moscow Committee on Agriculture and Industry, where he was responsible for food supplies to the city and the cooperative movement.
In April 1990 he headed the executive power system in the capital. Even then Yuri Luzhkov defined his viewpoint with the utmost clarity: "By nature, by the way I think and the way I live I am not a politician but a manager, and specialist on management. I don't intend to requalify myself as yet... I believe that one can find a solution even in the most difficult situation. The main thing is to act. But I am also a manager who is obliged to think soberly... I am an active supporter of the free market, but ask myself: why do we need to make such leaps and bounds in the speedy transition to market relations in agricultural production? Why can't we gradually come to learn market mechanisms and learn commerce and profitable trade?"
He maintained this line of thought even after he was elected deputy mayor and appointed premier of the Moscow Government.
In June 1992 Yuri Luzhkov was appointed Moscow Mayor by presidential decree, taking over the reins from G.Kh. Popov. After this appointment he continued working at the practical implementation of the radical restructuring of the city economy, its improvement and the perfection of city management. Instead of the previous regions ten administrative districts were formed, which were subdivided into 135 municipalities. New subdivisions appeared in the city management organs - the committee for property management, the anti-monopoly department, the supervision department, the tax police and others. Despite the difficult economic situation large-scale house-building is still going on in the city. More than three million square metres of living space is created every year. The reconstruction of the city centre is also picking up speed. The Kazan Cathedral and the Voskresenskiye Gates on Red Square have been reconstructed. After major restoration the Tretyakov State Gallery in Lavrushinsky Lane and the Museum of Private Collections in Volkhonka Street opened their doors. Repair work is underway at the Kolomenskoye estate museum, the Zoo at Krasnaya Presnya and the State Historic Museum. The planned repair of the Moscow Ring Road has also been completed. New underground tracks are being laid in Brateyevo, Strogino and Mitino. Measures are being implemented for the social welfare of the needy. In 1994 alone over 400 thousand million roubles were allocated for this purpose. The mayor's plan for the reconstruction of the Church of Christ the Saviour and the completion of the Victory Memorial also enjoyed the support of Muscovites. Many churches have been returned to religious organisations.
During the September-October 1993 conflict between the executive and legislative powers in Moscow, Yuri Luzhkov supported the policy of President Yeltsin but spoke out against the involvement of Muscovites in the confrontation between the two sides, striving to prevent bloodshed on the streets of the capital.
The mayor has also taken an independent position regarding privatisation, and managed to obtain wide-ranging powers from the government of the Russian Federation in order to tackle this problem. The privatisation process is quickly gaining momentum. By 1994 almost all enterprises in trade and services and more than half of the industrial and building enterprises had been privatised. The mayor's office and city government also undertook considerable work to prepare for the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War and the 850th anniversary of the founding of Moscow.
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