Maksym Stepanov

President Poroshenko dismissed Stepanov on 6 April 2019 (the decree that dismissed him did not give the reason why). However Stepanov refused to step down claiming that the President had exceeded his authority (according to Ukrainian law Chairman of Regional State Administrations are appointed by the President on the submission of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine for the term of office of the Head of the State). On April 10, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine endorsed the decree on Stepanov’s dismissal. Stepanov claimed that he was dismissed because he had not refused to paid social benefits to the local residents (the so-called "administrative resources") to help Poroshenko's changes in the 31 March 2019 Ukrainian presidential election. Stepanov did not challenge this 10 April resignation since "The procedure is upheld."

Stepanov served as the Governor of the Odessa Oblast from January 2017 until April 2019.

On March 22, in Odessa, the chairman of the Odessa regional state administration Maksym Stepanov presented the Strategic Action Plan for 2017–2019, which was called "Intelligent Region" The program is designed for 2017–2019 and provides for the implementation of 4 major regional priorities: "Improving the quality of regional development management", "Ensuring a competitive regional economy", "Community and human potential development", and "Ensuring a decent quality of life".. Within the framework of regional priorities strategic goals, programs and projects of development of the Odessa region, mechanisms of their implementation, as well as expected results are defined.

Maksym Stepanov also announced a plan with 12 points in 2017, in particular, the construction of strategically important roads, including The routes of Odesa-Reni, Kodima-Balta, Spasske-Vylkove, the beginning of the reconstruction of the runway of the Odessa airport (completion by the end of 2018), the modernization of the information portal of the Odessa region, the creation of the Odesa oblast brand, the improvement of the investment climate and increased investment attractiveness, Places at least 10%, local budget revenues increase, the launch of medical reform – the creation of up to 10 hospital districts in the Odessa region, the creation of 77 groups of rapid response police, the introduction of the area unified video surveillance systems, launch of free online courses to prepare graduates for testing etc..

Makysm Stepanov won an open competition for the post of governor of the Odessa region after Mikheil Saakashvili resigned and was dismissed. On December 21, 2016, the Cabinet approved the appointment of Stepanov as the head of the Odessa Regional State Administration. He officially took office in January 12, 2017.

In 2015, at the ceremony "Person of the Year 2015", he won in the nomination "Manager of the Year".

Stepanov's father Volodymyr Stepanov was a deputy of the Sloviansk City Council as a member of the Party of Regions in April 2014. He voted for the establishment of the Donetsk People's Republic in the 2014 Donbass status referendums, but according to his son he was forced to do so. During the Siege of Sloviansk Stepanov's parents resided in Kiev, but they returned to Sloviansk after it was retaken by Ukrainian troops.

In July 2013, Stepanov achieved the abolition of the monopoly of the private EDAPS corporation for the printing of foreign passports. As the Dzerkalo Tyzhnia newspaper wrote, "This means that real criminals are detached from controlling the personal data of Ukrainians, and the copyrights to the state symbols of Ukraine will no longer be a source of income for scammers. An important state reform has been carried out, which will benefit not only this power but also the one that will come after it."

"For many years a myth has been created that the creation of modern foreign passports with a polycarbonate page is an insanely complex technology beyond the mere mortals, but only to select people from EDAPS. Today, the myth of the irreplaceability of EDAPS collapsed. For the first time the full cycle of production of foreign passports is established at the state polygraph combine "Ukraine". We defended the interests of the state and citizens from blackmail on the part of the manufacturer of foreign passports. What happened before? In the state there was no stock of passport forms. And if "EDAPS" had any difficulties – the passport was immediately stopped making. It turns out that the private consortium received a lever of pressure on the state, because it was not just a supplier of products, but actually took over the functions of providing a public service – issuing a passport to citizens," said Maksym Stepanov.

From 2011 to 2016, Stepanov was in charge of the State Enterprise Polygraph Plant "Ukraine", which produces forms of official documents.

Stepanov, as director of a state-owned enterprise, managed to eliminate the monopoly of the EDAPS Concern for the printing of passports and other documents that are now under the state polygraph business. Of the profit indicators for 2011, UAH 3 million increased profits to UAH 172 million in 2015, and about UAH 300 million in 2016. During this period, Polygraph Factory "Ukraine" built two new workshops, as well as released new products – a biometric passport, an identity card, and was certified according to five international ISO standards.

In the period of 2008–2010, Stepanov was the first deputy chairman of the Odessa regional state administration to Mykola Serdyuk. When Viktor Yanukovych came to power, Stepanov was released along with Serdyuk.

In 2003–2004 he worked at the State Tax Administration of Ukraine.

2001–2003 – Deputy General Director of CJSC "Industrial and financial company "Viche".

From 1999 to 2001, he was the Deputy General Director of the Trade House "Gas of Ukraine" of Naftogaz of Ukraine.

Maksym Stepanov was born in Skovordino, in the Russian SFSR. In 1998 he graduated from DonNMU in the specialty of obstetrician-gynecologis in Donetsk. In 2004, he joined the Kyiv National Economic University and majored in International Economics. He speaks fluent English.

Maksym Volodymyrovych Stepanov (Ukrainian: Максим Володимирович Степанов; born in 18 August 1975) is a Ukrainian politician. On 30 March 2020 he was appointed Minister of Healthcare.