Mohyliov graduated school in Slovyansk in 1972 and the Slovyansk Pedagogical Institute (today part of the Donbas State Pedagogical University) in 1977 obtaining diploma as a teacher of physics. In 1977–79 he worked as a teacher of physics in a village of Tsvitochne (Bilohirsk Raion, Crimean Oblast) before being drafted to the army. In 1979–81 Mohyliov served in the air defense service for the Leningrad Military District. After demobilization, he for a brief stint returned to be a teacher in Slovyansk, before changing occupation to law enforcement (militsiya) in 1982.
In 1995–2000 Mohyliov served as a chief militsiya officer for the city of Artemivsk and then until 2005 for the city of Makiivka.[5] In 2007, he served as deputy interior minister and chief of the Ukrainian Interior Ministry's main office (head of militsiya) in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.[5] (Despite Ukrainian policeman are forbidden to be actively involved with politics[6]) Mohyliov headed the Crimean campaign headquarters of presidential candidate Viktor Yanukovych during the 2010 presidential election campaign.[5]
On 18 November 2012 Anatoliy Mohiliov openly stated that Militsia of Ukraine "supports interests of the political force that currently is in power (government), because the power (government) ensures stability and normal life in the country."[15]
On 27 February 2014 he and his entire cabinet known as Council of Ministers of Crimea were dismissed by the Supreme Council amid the 2014 Crimean crisis.[citation needed] In the context of the Crimean crisis, pro-Russian forces compelled the crimean Parliament to hold an emergency closed-door session that overthrew Mohyliov and appointed pro-Russian Sergei Aksyonov as the new president of Crimea.[16][17] Mohyliov was barred from attending this Supreme Council session.[18] He was replaced by Sergey Aksyonov.[19] After his dismissal Mohyliov stayed three more days in Crimea before he relocated to Kyiv.[20] In Kyiv he became head of a civil organization which provides legal assistance to former security forces employees.[20]
Racist comments
Mohyliov has been criticized for making a variety of Tatarophobic comments, to an extent that he was put in the list of the 14 most prominent Tatarophobes by Avdet for praising the deportation of the Crimean Tatars and calling them "sub-human".[21] Earlier, he claimed that a fairly large diaspora of Crimean Tatars inhabit Crimea, perpetrating the notion that they are foreigners in their homeland.[22][23]