Zvyahilsky was born in the familyson of a servicemanJewish civil servant in [[Donetsk|Stalino]] on 20 February, 1933. In 1956, he graduated from the Donetsk Industrial Institute as a mining engineer. After graduating Zvyahilsky worked at the mine #13 of the Soviet [[trust company]] "Kuibyshevugol" (Kuibyshev Coal) as a chief assistant, later as a chief of a coal precinct, chief engineer, director. In 1972 he wrote a thesis "Observation of regional technological schemes of mining fields in the development of thin inclined layers (in reference to the Donetsk-Makiivka region of [[Donbas|Donetsk basin]])" ([[Moscow State Mining University|Moscow Mining Institute]]) earning him academical title of a [[Candidate of Sciences|candidate of sciences]]. Later Zvyahilsky defended his doctorate on the subject "Geomechanical foundations of landslides of the earth surface above mines, which can be eliminated" (Institute of geotechnical mechanics of the [[National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine]]). Coincidentally, in early 1990s Ukraine suffered from the miners' strikes that led to the [[1994 Ukrainian presidential election|early presidential elections in 1994]].
From 1970 to 1979, Zvyahilsky worked at the Kuibyshev Mine Corporation of the Industrial Union "Donetskugol" (Donetsk Coal). In 1975 he was appointed a director of the company. From 1979 through 1992 Zvyahilsky was a director of [[Zasyadko coal mine]] of the Industrial Union "Donetskugol". The mine, which is known for its chronic accidents, became particularly famous in 2007 for the most deadly [[2007 Zasyadko mine disaster|disaster]] in the mining history of Ukraine.
