▁K ik ht en ko ▁is ▁a ▁Ukrain ian ▁military ▁leader ▁and ▁politician . ▁He ▁is ▁a ▁career ▁officer ▁of ▁the ▁In ternal ▁Tro ops ▁of ▁Ukraine ▁and ▁a ▁General ▁of ▁Army ▁of ▁Ukraine ▁( 2 0 0 8 ). ▁ ▁He ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁army ▁since ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁first ▁in ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Army ▁and ▁then ▁in ▁the ▁Ukrain ian ▁Army . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁K ik ht en ko ▁graduated ▁the ▁F run ze ▁College ▁of ▁General ▁Command ▁( Om sk ). ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁he ▁graduated ▁the ▁fac ulty ▁of ▁intelligence ▁of ▁the ▁M . ▁V . ▁F run ze ▁Military ▁Academy ▁( M osc ow ). ▁ ▁After ▁fall ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union , ▁K ik ht en ko ▁continued ▁to ▁serve ▁for ▁the ▁Ar med ▁Forces ▁of ▁Ukraine ▁and ▁was ▁a ▁chief ▁of ▁the ▁In ternal ▁Tro ops ▁administration ▁in ▁Z apor iz h ia ▁O blast . ▁Since ▁February ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁Commander ▁of ▁the ▁In ternal ▁Tro ops ▁of ▁Ukraine . ▁During ▁the ▁president ial ▁period ▁of ▁Vik tor ▁Y ush chen ko , ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 - 2 0 0 8 ▁and ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁K ik ht en ko ▁un pre ced ented ly ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Security ▁and ▁Def ense ▁Council ▁of ▁Ukraine . ▁ ▁After ▁election ▁of ▁Vik tor ▁Yan uk ov ych ▁as ▁President ▁of ▁Ukraine ▁in ▁ 2