Ihor Orel was born in 1961 in the town of Kadiivka (Stakhanov). Ukrainian.
In 1978 he finished secondary school. From 1978 to 1983 he studied in Komunarsk mining and metallurgy institute in the speciality ‘mining’. He got the profession of ‘engineer-teacher of mining disciplines’.
From 1983 to 1985 he was undergoing his military service.
From 1983 to 1990 he worked in the system of vocational education and training as a teacher and production study foreman.
In 1989 he was among the initiators of the establishment of the People’s Movement (Narodnyi Rukh) of Ukraine in the Luhansk region. In 1989 – 2006 he was the head of the city and regional organizations (UNP).
Since 1990 he started carrying out his entrepreneurial activity.
In 2002 – 2003 he worked as deputy head of the Department of Economy of the Executive Committee of Stakhanov Town Council.
In 2009 – 2010 in the city of Kyiv he was editor of the website and newspaper Samovriadna Ukrayinska Derzhava (Self-governing Ukrainian state)
In 2010 – 2012 he worked in the town of Stakhanov as the Head of the Department of Capital Construction of the Technical Coal Plant.
From 1997 to 2020 – Head of the Management Board of PO ‘Vybir’ ('Choice'). I participate in the Ukrainian National Platform of Eastern Partnership and in other all-Ukrainian organizations.
From May 10, 2014, to July 17, 2015 – a volunteer of ‘Aidar’ battalion.
In 2015-2017 worked as Head of the Department in Severodonetsk Secondary Pro Bono Legal Aid Centre.
Member of the Independent Union of Journalists of Ukraine.
Founder and editor of newspapers Kadiivka (1997) and Nash Krai (Our Land) (2004).
Have written over 100 articles in the local press on the topic of local self-government, corruption, violation of human rights, European integration.
In 2003 became the winner of the contest of the Association of Ukrainian Cities among journalists for the best coverage of the local self-government topic.
