Anton Melnik

Deputy Director of the Department for Special Programs and Projects of the Ministry of Economic Development

General Biographical Information 

• Anton Melnik was born on April 3, 1977 in the city of Mezhdurechensk, Kemerov Oblast, RSFSR, USSR.
• In 1999 he graduated from Krasnoyarsk Technical University with the specialty of electric supply.
• In 2004 he graduated from Moscow State Social University of Labor and Social Development with the specialty of jurisprudence.
• He has been granted the title of the Russian Federation’s State Advisor of the Third Class.

Professional Career

• From 2006 to 2010 Melnik worked in the city of Krasnoyarsk at the Administration of Krasnoyarsk Krai, as a Senior Specialist at the Department of Communal-Housing, a Consultant and Head of Division.
• In 2010-2011, he was the Acting Deputy Minister of Communal-Housing Affairs of Krasnoyarsk Krai.
• In 2011-2012 he was the Deputy Minister of Communal-Housing Affairs of Krasnoyarsk Krai.
• In 2012-2014 he was the Deputy Minister of Energy and Communal-Housing Affairs of Krasnoyarsk Krai. On June 6, 2014, Melnik became Acting Minister.
• After working in Krasnoyarsk Krai, in 2014-2015 Melnik was the Deputy Director of the International Cooperation Department of the Ministry of North Caucasus Affairs of Russian Federation. Melnik moved to the Ministry after Lev Kuznetsov was appointed as Minister of North Caucasus Affairs on May 12, 2014, who was the Governor of Krasnoyarsk from 2010 until his appointment to the position of Minister. Aleksandr Khloponin, who was the Vice Prime Minister of the Government of Russia and the Curator of the Ministry during Kuznetsov’s period as a Minister, was also once Governor of Krasnoyarsk.
• In 2015-2020, Melnik was Director of the International Cooperation Department of the Ministry of North Caucasus Affairs of Russian Federation. Out of four divisions at the International Cooperation Department, three were responsible for relations with Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region:  Division for Relations with the “Republic of South Ossetia”, Division for Relations with the “Republic of Abkhazia”, Division for Monitoring and Methodology of the Social-Economic Development of the “Republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia”.
• On January 21, 2020,  by the order of the Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Ministry of North Caucasus Affairs was abolished. The Ministry functions were transferred to the Ministry of Economic Development. Melnik was appointed as Deputy Director of the Department for Special Programs and Projects of the Ministry of Economic Development.

Relations with Abkhazia 

• On August 4, 2016, Russian state delegation visited Abkhazia, one of the members of which was Melnik. The Head of the Delegation was the Deputy Head of the Division for Social-Economic Cooperation with CIS States, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Denis Travin. The aim of the Russian delegation’s visit was to prepare the meeting of the Inter-Governmental Commission for Social-Economic Cooperation between Russia, Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region, which was planned for August 16 in Moscow.
• On July 24, 2017, the de facto Prime Minister of Abkhazia, Beslan Bartsits, hosted a delegation of the Ministry of North Caucasus Affairs. Melnik also comprised the delegation, which was chaired by the Minister, Lev Kuznetsov. The delegation inspected the construction of facilities (the Supreme Court, the Abkhazian State University, student dormitory) under the 2015-2017 investment program providing the social and economic assistance and summarized the results.
• On December 8, 2017, Melnik participated in the meeting of the Inter-Governmental Commission for Social-Economic Cooperation between Russia, Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region, where the de facto President of Abkhazia, Raul Khajimba and Deputy Chairman of the Government of Russian Federation, Aleksandr Khloponin, also attended.
• On July 17, 2018, the new Minister of North Caucasus Affairs, Sergey Chebotarev, visited Abkhazia for the first time in his tenure as a Minister, accompanied by Melnik. A meeting regarding social-economic cooperation was held under Chebotarev’s chairmanship.
• On September 25, 2018, the Vice Prime Minister of Russia and curator of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region, Vitali Mutko, met with the de facto Prime Minister of Abkhazia, Valeri Bganba, in Moscow. Melnik also participated in the meeting from the Russian side. Issues of social-economic cooperation were discussed during the meeting, as well as assessing the implementation of 2017-2019 investment programs supporting the social-economic development of Abkhazia.

• On March 14, 2019, a meeting was held between the Cabinet of Ministers of Abkhazia and a working group of the Ministry of North Caucasus Affairs. Melnik also participated in the meeting. During the negotiations, the implementation of activities envisaged under the 2017-2019 investment program promoting the socio-economic development of Abkhazia was discussed in details. In particular, the reconstruction of the Park Prince of Oldenburg, overhaul of the Gagra №1 secondary school, and the reconstruction of Gagra sewage-pumping stations. The meeting also discussed a draft investment program for 2020-2022 and named the restoration and development of electricity transmission and road networks of Abkhazia as priority areas of the action plan.

• On October 23, 2019, issues related to implementation of investment program for 2017-2019 promoting socio-economic development of Abkhazia were discussed in Sokhumi. The meeting participants were Raul Khajimba, de facto President of Abkhazia and Russian representatives Melnik,  Igor Koshin, Deputy Minister of North Caucasus Affairs and Denis Travin, Deputy Head of the Directorate for Cross-Border Cooperation of the Presidential Administration. Preparation for the 18th intergovernmental meeting on socio-economic cooperation between Abkhazia-Russia was also discussed at the meeting.
• On December 18-19, 2019, the representative delegation of the Russian Federation visited Abkhazia. On December 19, the 18th Intergovernmental Session on socio-economic cooperation between the Russian Federation and Abkhazia was held in Sokhumi. The Session chairs were Vitaly Mutko, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Federation and Valery Bganba, de facto Prime-Minister of Abkhazia. The Russian delegation comprised Melnik, Sergey Chebotarev, Minister of North Caucasus Affairs of the Russian Federation and his deputy Igor Koshin. Delegation members from the Presidential Administration were Aleksey Filatov, Head of the Directorate for Cross Border Cooperation, and Denis Travin, Deputy Head of the Directorate. At the session the committee approved investment program for 2020-2022, promoting socio-economic development of Abkhazia.
• On January 22, 2020, issues of socio-economic cooperation were discussed at de facto Ministry of Economy of Abkhazia with the delegation of the Ministry of North Caucasus Affairs of the Russian Federation. The delegation head was Igor Koshin, Deputy Minister. Russian delegation comprised of Melnik and Vera Denk – Deputy Director of the International Cooperation Department, Head of the Division for Interaction with the „Republic of Abkhazia“.
• On September 2, 2021, the de facto Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Economy of Abkhazia, Kristina Ozgan, met with a delegation of the Russian Federation. The delegation comprised of the Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Dmitry Volvach, the Deputy Minister of Energy, Yevgeny Grabchak, the Director of the Department for Special Programs and Projects of the Ministry of Economic Development, Vitaly Gudin, and Melnik. The guests inspected social and infrastructure facilities which were restored under the Russian investment program. De facto President of Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania, received the Russian delegation as well.
• On September 13, 2021, the Director of the Department for Special Programs and Projects of the Ministry of Economic Development, Vitaly Gudin, and Melnik visited Abkhazia. Implementation of Investment Program was inspected by the Russian delegation. De facto Prime Minister received the Russian delegation as well.
• On June 28-29, 2022, the Deputy Minister of Economic Development of Russia, Dmitry Volvach, visited Sokhumi. On the first day of the visit, Volvach inspected the progress of projects under the Russian funding. Volvach's delegation included the Director of the Department of Special Programs and Projects of the Ministry, Vitaliy Gudin, and Melnik.
• On October 4, 2022, the so-called Prime Minister of Abkhazia, Alexander Ankvab, the Vice-Prime Minister, Kristina Ozgan, the so-called former Minister of Economy of Abkhazia, Vladimir Delba, and the Head of the Capital Construction Management, Timur Agrba, met with representatives of the Ministry of Economy of Russia. The Russian delegation was represented by Vitaly Gudin, the Director of the Department of Special Programs and Projects of the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia, Melnik, and the Assistant to the Minister of Economy, Mikhail Mukhortov. The Russian “Ambassador,” Mikhail Shurgalin, and the “Embassy” Counselor, Maxim Litvinov, also attended the meeting. The “parties” discussed the socio-economic development of the de facto Republic of Abkhazia under the investment program, the synthesis of the laws of the “countries,” the field of energy and other similar issues.

Relations with Tskhinvali Region

• On April 12, 2016, the Minister of North Caucasus Affairs, Lev Kuznetsov, paid a two-day working visit to the Tskhinvali region. He was accompanied by Melnik. The meeting discussed activities envisaged under the 2015-2017 investment program promoting the social and economic development of the Tskhinvali region. The delegation also inspected the progress of construction of the maternity hospital, the children's hospital, the university, the drama theater, the bakery, and residential buildings.

• On March 1, 2018, Melnik visited Tskhinvali together with the Deputy Minister of North Caucasus Affairs, Igor Koshin. During the visit the Russian delegation, together with the de facto Prime Minister of Tskhinvali Region, Erik Pukhaev, inspected the buildings of State University as well as Drama Theatre, which was being renovated from 2015 to 2017, in terms of the investment program supporting the social-economic development of the region.

• On July 16, 2018, the new Minister of North Caucasus Affairs, Sergey Chebotarev, visited Tskhinvali Region for the first time in his tenure as a Minister, accompanied by Melnik. A meeting regarding social-economic cooperation was held under Chebotarev’s chairmanship.

• On January 29, 2019, Melnik paid 3 day working visit to Tskhinvali. Erik Pukhaev, de facto Prime Minister, hosted him. Melnik together with Marat Kulakhmetov, Russian “ambassador“ to Tskhinvali Region, visited under construction maternity hospital in Tskhinvali. Aim of the visit was to familiarize if there were any concerns in regards of either financing or construction materials availability. On January 30, Melnik discussed issues of socio-economic cooperation between Russia and Tskhinvali region. Parties reviewed priority directions of 2020-2022 investment program formation. During the meeting preparation for inter-governmental regular meeting was also discussed.
• On July 8, 2019, Melnik paid three day working visit to Tskhinvali Region in order to inspect ongoing construction activities under the Investment Program. Melnik met with the region de facto leaders, including Erik Pukhaev, de facto Prime Minister. At the meeting issues of socio-economic cooperation between Russia and Tskhinvali region and Investment Program for 2020-2022 were discussed.
• On September 10, 2019, Igor Koshin, Deputy Minister of North Caucasus Affairs of Russian Federation, paid working visit to Tskhinvali Region. He curates Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region direction at the Ministry. Melnik  was the member of Koshin’s delegation. During the visit Koshin met with Anatoly Bibilov, de facto President. Issues of socio-economic cooperation were reviewed at the meeting as well as implementation of Investment Program and agreements signed in 2019. Koshin visited construction facilities under the Investment Program.
• On September 27, 2019, at the working meeting in Tskhinvali was reviewed the progress of investment program promoting socio-economic development of Tskhinvali Region for 2019. The meeting was chaired by Anatoly Bibilov, de facto President of the Region, and attended by de facto government representatives and Marat Kulakhmetov, Russian „ambassador“ to the Region and Melnik – from Russian side.
• On December 13, 2019, in the Tskhinvali Region, delegation of the Ministry of North Caucasus Affairs of the Russian Federation checked ongoing construction financed by Russia. Russian delegation was headed by Melnik. Melnik visited under-construction hotel in Tskhinvali, fountain, memorial complex and 18 apartment residential buildings in Znauri and Java, as well as Joint Information Coordination Center of MoIA.
• On August 23, 2021, the issues of socio-economic development of the Tskhinvali region were discussed with a Russian delegation in Tskhinvali. The meeting discussed the issues of the “allocation of financial support for the socio-economic development” of the Tskhinvali region, the implementation of the investment program, and the so-called “harmonization of customs legislation.” The Russian delegation was chaired by Vitaly Gudin, the Director of the Department for Special Programs and Projects of the Ministry of Economic Development. The delegation comprised Maksim Smirnov, the Head of the Division of Budget Investments and Investment Support to the Republic of South Ossetia of the same Department and Melnik. On August 24, Russian Delegation inspected ongoing projects in Tskinvali and Kvaisa.
• On October 1, 2021, a delegation of the Russian Ministry of Economic Development chaired by the Deputy Minister, Dmitry Volvach, paid a two-day working visit to the Tskhinvali region. Vitaly Gudin, the Director of the Department for Special Programs and Projects of the Ministry of Economic Development and Melnik comprised the delegation. The main purpose of the visit was to inspect facilities under the investment program. On the first day of the visit, the Russian delegation together with Ossetian “colleagues” visited the Tskhinvali N 3 public school, whose restoration was completed in September. On the same day, a working meeting on the socio-economic cooperation between Russia and the Tskhinvali region was held with the participation of de facto President, Anatoly Bibilov. The next day, the Russian delegation, together with the de facto Prime Minister of the Tskhinvali region, Gennady Bekoev, visited the South Ossetian State University and a new maternity hospital in Tskhinvali.
• On June 23, 2022, the de facto Prime Minister of the Tskhinvali region, Konstantin Jusoev, hosted a Russian delegation headed by Vitaliy Gudin, the Director of the Department for Special Programs and Projects of the Russian Ministry of Economic Development. Members of the delegation were Melnik and Maksim Smirnov, the Head of the Division of Budget Investments and Investment Support to the Republic of South Ossetia. The meeting discussed the development of the 2020-2022 investment program and the formation of the 2023-2025 investment program.
• On September 16, 2022, a meeting between the de facto government of the Tskhinvali region and a delegation of the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia was held in Tskhinvali. The Chairman of the de facto government, Konstantine Jusoev, met with a group of employees of the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia, chaired by the Director of the Department for Special Programs and Projects, Vitaly Gudin. Melnik  and Gudin's another deputy -  Yulia Sukhoverkhova also took part in the meeting from the Russian side.
• On April 19, 2023, the Deputy Minister of Economic Development of Russia, Dmitry Volvach, visited the de facto republic. The meeting with de facto authorities discussed the issues of socio-economic cooperation between Russia and the de facto republic. Melnik also attended the meeting.
• On June 30, 2023, a Russian delegation inspected a solid household waste recycling landfill in the de facto republic. The facility was built in 2020. The Russian delegation was accompanied by the de facto President, Alan Gagloyev. Melnik was among the members of the delegation.
• On September 15, 2023, the Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, Dmitry Volvach, and Melnik visited the de facto Republic. During the long visit, Volvach and Melnik held meetings with representatives of the de facto government and inspected construction and repair works which are ongoing under the investment program developed by Russia to promote the socio-economic development of the occupied regions of Georgia.