Nikolai Volkov (born December 19, 1951) is a Russian politician.

Childhood and Education

Volkov was born in 1951 in Krasnoye village, in the Shablykinsky district of the Oryol Region. In 1973, Volkov graduated from a civil engineer institute in Odessa.http://www.eao.ru/eng/?p=346

Politics

Volkov is the current governor of the Jewish Autonomous Oblast http://www.eao.ru/eng/. Governor Volkov is a member of Our Home Is Russia http://archive.tol.cz/Elections/Russia/Regions/About/JAO.html. Viktor Gozhy is the First vice-chairman of the Jewish Autonomous Oblast and next in the line of succession after Volkov. http://www.eao.ru/eng/?p=regnews_eng&newsid=1533 In 2006, Volkov met with an American Consul General, who also met with representatives of the JAO's Jewish community and visited Birobidzhan Synagogue. The two men discussed the potential for cooperation between U.S. and JAO businessmen http://vladivostok.usconsulate.gov/archive/jao.html

Relationship with Jewish Community

In 1997, Governor Volkov stated that he wanted, "our Jewish community to have a permanent rabbi and a synagogue." http://www.jewishsf.com/content/2-0-/module/displaystory/story_id/5853/edition_id/109/format/html/displaystory.html

Concerning the Jewish Community of the oblast and the Birobidzhan Synagogue, Volkov has stated that he intends to, "support every valuable initiative maintained by our local Jewish organizations." http://www.fjc.ru/news/newsArticle.asp?AID=221939 http://www.jewishaz.com/jewishnews/041008/revival.shtml

In 2004, Nikolai Volkov received an award for the category 'Regional Leader' during the 'Man of the Year 5764' Ceremony organized by the Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS. This award served as recognition for, "his initiative in the revival of Jewish life in Birobidzhan and in arranging the Jewish Autonomous Oblast's 70th anniversary celebrations." http://www.fjc.ru/news/newsArticle.asp?AID=221939

See Also

• List of Jewish Autonomous Oblast Leaders