Viktor Yanukovych
Viktor Yanukovych | |
|---|---|
Віктор Янукович | |
 Official portrait, 2010 | |
| 4th President of Ukraine | |
| In office 25 February 2010 – 22 February 2014[a] | |
| Preceded by | Viktor Yushchenko |
| Succeeded by | Petro Poroshenko |
| 9th and 12th Prime Minister of Ukraine | |
| In office 4 August 2006 – 18 December 2007 | |
| President | Viktor Yushchenko |
| Deputy | Mykola Azarov |
| Preceded by | Yuriy Yekhanurov |
| Succeeded by | Yulia Tymoshenko |
| In office 28 December 2004 – 5 January 2005 | |
| President | Leonid Kuchma |
| Deputy | Mykola Azarov |
| Preceded by | Mykola Azarov (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Mykola Azarov (acting) |
| In office 21 November 2002 – 7 December 2004 | |
| President | Leonid Kuchma |
| Deputy | Mykola Azarov |
| Preceded by | Anatoliy Kinakh |
| Succeeded by | Mykola Azarov (acting) |
| People's Deputy of Ukraine | |
| In office 25 May 2006 – 12 September 2006 | |
| Constituency | At-large |
| In office 23 November 2007 – 19 February 2010 | |
| Constituency | At-large |
| Governor of Donetsk Oblast | |
| In office 14 May 1997 – 21 November 2002 | |
| Preceded by | Serhii Polyakov |
| Succeeded by | Anatoliy Blyznyuk |
| Chairman of Donetsk Oblast Council | |
| In office 14 May 1999 – 14 May 2001 | |
| Preceded by | Ivan Ponomaryov |
| Succeeded by | Borys Kolesnikov |
| Deputy Governor of Donetsk Oblast | |
| In office August 1996 – May 1997 | |
| Governor | Serhii Polyakov |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 9 July 1950 Yenakiieve, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union |
| Political party | Party of Regions (1997–2014) |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children |
|
| Alma mater | Donetsk National Technical University Ukrainian State University of Finance and International Trade |
| Signature |  |
| Website | Viktor Yanukovych, President of Ukraine (Archived) |
Viktor Fedorovych Yanukovych (Ukrainian: Віктор Федорович Янукович; born 9 July 1950) is a Ukrainian former politician who served as the 4th president of Ukraine from 2010 to 2014.
Political career
He was Prime Minister of Ukraine from November 2002 until December 2004 (he was forced to resign (leave office early) on 31 December 2004). He again was Prime Minister of Ukraine from 4 August 2006 until 18 December 2007. He is the former leader of the Party of Regions the biggest political party of Ukraine. The party was formerly part of the Ukrainian government.[2]
In November 2004, he won the presidential election. Viktor Yushchenko, his opponent, said the result was false. Large daily demonstrations supporting Viktor Yushchenko followed. They were named The Orange Revolution. Ukrainian Judges decided that there would be new elections in December 2004. Victor Yuschenko won those elections and became president of Ukraine.[3]
Yanukovych was supported by Vladimir Putin of Russia and by the former Ukrainian president Leonid Kuchma.
In February 2010, he won the presidential election; Yulia Tymoshenko, who lost the election with a 3.48% difference, said he won because of fraud.[3]
Yanukovych was a victim of poverty in his childhood and was twice put in prison for violent crimes in his youth.[3]
After mass protest in Ukraine during February 2014, Yanukovych was forced-out of office on 22 February 2014.[4] Oleksandr Turchynov became acting president.
Convictions
On December 15, 1967, at the age of 17, Viktor Yanukovych was first sentenced to 3 years in prison for participating in a robbery.[5]
For the second time, Viktor Yanukovych was prosecuted for inflicting moderate bodily injuries under Art. 102 of the Criminal Code of the Ukrainian SSR and sentenced on June 8, 1970 to 2 years of imprisonment.
Criticism
In connection with the events of Euromaidan, the phrase "Golden Toilet" became a symbol and synonym of the Yanukovych regime. In many informal speeches, the phrase is used as a euphemism for the rule of Viktor Fedorovich and his political entourage.
Oppression of freedom of speech in Ukraine
During the two months of Yanukovych's presidency and the existence of the pro-presidential majority and the government in Ukraine, the pressure on the media and the curtailment of freedom of speech intensified. In particular, independent experts noted the politicization of the First National TV Channel.[6] The facts of censorship on commercial TV channels have become more frequent: journalists of "1 + 1" and "STB" have stated the facts of censorship by their management, and journalists of STB state the existence of facts of censorship since 2008.[7][8][9]
The enemy of the press
Viktor Yanukovych, along with Prime Minister Mykola Azarov and Interior Minister Vitaliy Zakharchenko, became the biggest enemies of the Ukrainian press in 2012-2013, according to an annual survey by the Institute of Mass Media and the Independent Media Trade Union.
Investigation
As of May 15, 2014, 6 criminal cases of abuse of power were being investigated against Yanukovych. The cases are included in the Unified Register of Pre-trial Investigations.[10]
Notes
References
- ↑ Resolution of Verkhovna Rada #757–VII. About self removal of President of Ukraine from execution of his constitutional powers and assignment of early elections of President of Ukraine (Про самоусунення Президента України від виконання конституційних повноважень та призначення позачергових виборів Президента України). Verkhovna Rada. 22 February 2014
- ↑ Ukrainian parliament creates new coalition, Kyiv Post (March 2010)
- 1 2 3 Profile: Viktor Yanukovych, BBC News
- ↑ Ukraine as it happened: Yanukovych ousted, Tymoshenko freed | euronews
- ↑ ""Прємьєр-міністр" Янукович, или неофициальная биография для тех, кто подзабыл / Украинская правда". 2009-09-14. Archived from the original on 2009-09-14. Retrieved 2021-02-22.
- ↑ "Неволя слова". tyzhden.ua. Retrieved 2021-02-22.
- ↑ "ЖУРНАЛІСТИ ТСН ЗАЯВЛЯЮТЬ ПРО ЦЕНЗУРУ". Українська правда (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2021-02-22.
- ↑ "ЖУРНАЛІСТ КАЖЕ, ЩО ГЕНДИРЕКТОР 1+1 ВИЗНАВ "ДЖИНСУ" І ЦЕНЗУРУ". Українська правда (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2021-02-22.
- ↑ "ЖУРНАЛІСТИ СТБ ТЕЖ ЗАЯВЛЯЮТЬ ПРО ЦЕНЗУРУ". Українська правда (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2021-02-22.
- ↑ "До справ проти Януковича додався ще й Голодомор". Українська правда (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2021-02-22.