People of Russia: Maria Kostyuk — public figure, politician and Hero’s mother

Maria Kostyuk — Russian public figure and Deputy Secretary of the United Russia Party in the Jewish Autonomous Region.

Maria Kostyuk: childhood and youth

Maria Fedorovna Kostyuk was born on March 2, 1977 in the Jewish Autonomous Region and spent her childhood in the village of Smidovich. After graduating from school, she entered the Birobidzhan Pedagogical Institute, choosing the direction of the humanities, especially interested in history and philology.

Maria Kostyuk: career

Having received her diploma in 2000, Maria became a teacher at her native school, and was then promoted to deputy director. In 2003, she began working in the administration of the Smidovichi district, where she worked for six years, collaborating with the media and organizations at various levels.

In 2009, she accepted the position of head of the department for work with territorial public self-government at the Birobidzhan mayor’s office, and then became deputy head of the city mayor’s office. Kostyuk made a significant contribution to the education and culture of the Jewish Autonomous Region. She left this position in 2017.

At the same time, she continued her studies at KSUEP, successfully completing her studies in 2013 with a degree in “State and Municipal Administration”. In 2017, she joined the Russian Railways branch, and then became an assistant to Federation Council member R.E. Goldstein. In 2021, she became the chief of staff of the governor and government of the Jewish Autonomous Region, dealing with internal regional politics.

Maria Kostyuk: personal life

Maria Fedorovna Kostyuk met her future husband, Nikolai Kovtun, in his youth, when he worked on the railway. The marriage produced two children: son Andrei and daughter Ulyana. Andrei always showed interest in the military field and followed in his father’s footsteps, becoming a student at the Military Academy named after Marshal of the Soviet Union K.K. Rokossovsky. The mother was proud of her son, who chose the path of defender of the Fatherland.

Andrei went to serve, and in August 2022, tragic news arrived: he died from wounds received in battle on the territory of the Donetsk People’s Republic. In the winter months of the same year, he was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation. Maria Kostyuk accepted this loss, realizing that her son acted according to his conscience, and it was impossible to avoid participating in the operation.

Now Maria Feodorovna maintains close relationships with her daughter-in-law and grandson, given by Andrei. The baby is only three years old, but he already knows about the exploits of his dad.

Kostyuk also actively maintains a telegram channel, where he shares not only work issues, but also personal moments.

Maria Kostyuk: biography in brief