", "Prosecutors Seek 15 Years in Prison For Ukraine's Ex-President", "Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych Convicted of Treason", "Yanukovych reportedly hospitalized in Moscow Russian media", "Court finds Yanukovych's guilt of high treason, complicity in war proven", "Guilty: Yanukovych sentenced to 13 years in prison for high treason, complicity in war", "Kyiv court sentences Yanukovych in absentia to 13 years in prison for high treason", "Is Yanukovych's education paper-thin? Ukraine's Viktor Yanukovych has the rare distinction of having been ousted twice from Ukraine's presidency after giant street protests. [32], Viktor Yanukovych was born in the village of Zhukovka near Yenakiieve in Donetsk Oblast, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union. What is Viktor Yanukovych's Net Worth? An Interview With Konstantin Kilimnik", "Manafort Worked With Russian-Ukrainian On Peace Plan Before -- And Long After -- Criminal Charges", "Kremlin's two plans. [64], In 2009, Yanukovych announced his intent to run for president in the then upcoming presidential election. [265], On 18 June 2015, Yanukovych was officially deprived of the title of President of Ukraine. According to the IMF, the law breached promises to control spending. [60][111] He saw the gas agreement signed in 2009 after the 2009 Russia-Ukraine gas dispute as very unprofitable for Ukraine and wanted to "initiate the discussion of the most urgent gas issues" after the 2010 presidential election. He also stated, "[A] crushing blow delivered under [my] rule to corruption and bureaucracy has been met with resistance". Han dmdes i sin frnvaro. As a result of this, the International Monetary Fund suspended its 20082009 Ukrainian financial crisis emergency lending programme. [226], He did not take part in the 2014 Ukrainian presidential election since he "believe[d] they are unlawful". [75][76], Ukraine's parliament had (on 16 February) fixed 25 February 2010 for the inauguration of Yanukovych as president. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. This treaty was approved by both the Russian and Ukrainian parliaments (Verkhovna Rada) on 27 April 2010. [218] She had been imprisoned since 2011, in what many saw as political payback by Yanukovych. This sparked large protests by supporters of European integration, who occupied Kyiv's Independence Square and held rallies throughout Ukraine, in a wave of civil unrest dubbed the "Euromaidan". [102], During the 2011 World Economic Forum, Yanukovych called Ukraine "one of the leaders on democratic development in Eastern Europe". [315] From 2006 to 2014, the younger Viktor was a member of the Parliament of Ukraine; he died by drowning at Lake Baikal in 2015. 21, 2015", "Yanukovych, son off Interpol's wanted list", "Treason trial against Yanukovych begins in Ukraine", Case against Yanukovych was submitted to court ( ), "Ukrainian Prime Minister Reinvents Himself", "Ukraine's former president Viktor Yanukovich on trial. [117] Yanukovych said he wanted to create a free trade zone and visa regime with the EU as soon as possible. [25] On 24 January 2019, he was sentenced in absentia to thirteen years' imprisonment for high treason by a Ukrainian court. He accused the opposition of violation of the 21 February agreements and asked the armed forces of Ukraine not to intervene in the crisis. [269], Russian forces never gained control over Kyiv since the Russian army abandoned its Kyiv offensive on 2 April 2022.[275]. Then-Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych (left) gives a wink to Russian President Vladimir Putin during a signing ceremony after a meeting of the Russian-Ukrainian Interstate Commission at the . Decades later, Yanukovych characterised his arrests and imprisonment as "mistakes of youth". [47][48], On 25 May 2007, Viktor Yanukovych was assigned the post of appointed chairman of the Government Chiefs Council of the Commonwealth of Independent States. [147][148][149][150][151][152][153][154][155][156][157] One frequently cited example of Yanukovych's attempts to centralize power is the 2011 sentencing of Yulia Tymoshenko, which was condemned by Western governments as potentially being politically motivated. [52], President Leonid Kuchma appointed Yanukovych to the post of Prime Minister following Anatoliy Kinakh's resignation. [259], On 28 March 2014, Yanukovych asked the Party of Regions to exclude him. (VIDEO, UPDATE)", "Ukrainian parliament, after ousting president, tries to consolidate power, frees prisoners", "Ukraine's Acting President Warns Economy Is in Dire State", "Ukraine Leader Was Defeated Even Before He Was Ousted", "Ukraine crisis live: Russia admits its troops are moving in Crimea", " , , ", Putin: Russia helped Yanukovych leave Ukraine, "Putin: Russia helped Yanukovych to flee Ukraine", "Ukraine uprising: The private zoo, the galleon moored on a private lake, the fleet of vintage cars Ukrainians left open-mouthed", " : ", " : , , ", 5% (Fewer than 5% of Ukrainians want the return of Yanukovych to the presidential chair), "ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and Ukraine, of the other part", " $52 ", "Russia 'grants Ukraine's Viktor Yanukovych protection', ": ", "Kyiv Says Yanukovych Obtained Russian Citizenship", "No information about Russian citizenship granted to Yanukovych Kremlin spokesman", "Yanukovych was allowed to stay in Russia for another year", "Viktor Yanukovych, there you are! [354], In an overview piece in March 2013, The Ukrainian Week claimed that Yanukovych had "failed to meet" his 2010 election promises. In 2003, during the premiership of Viktor Yanukovych, a majority of the company's shares came ended up in private hands - in particular, those of Prygodskyy and Rinat Akhmetov. Their combined net worth today is $51.5 billion. [88] Yanukovych had promised before his election as Ukrainian President to "solve the issue" concerning the Russian Black Sea Fleet, currently stationed in the Ukrainian port Sevastopol, "in a way so that the interests of Russia or Ukraine would not be harmed". Under a photo showing the new home's ornate ceiling, Leschenko remarks, "In a country where 35% of the population live under poverty line, spending 100,000 dollars on each individual chandelier seems excessive, to say the least." According to then governor of Kharkiv Oblast, Mykhailo Dobkin, Yanukovych had intended to make his stay in Kharkiv look like "just another presidential inspection tour" and according to Dobkin, "was desperate to make it look like he wasn't running away". [256] On 4 March 2014 Putin answered questions of reporters about the situation in Crimea. Although Yanukovych's parliamentary coalition was not supporting Ukrainian membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), his cabinet agreed to the commission of Ukrainian troops to the Iraq War in support of the United States' War on Terrorism. Experts estimate the cost of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych's new private residence at 75 - 100m dollars. Also recovered were files on Yanukovych's perceived enemies, especially media members, including beating victim Tetyana Chornovol. On 2March, Ukrayinska Pravda reported that Ukrainian intelligence sources believed that Yanukovych was spotted in Minsk, Belarus, and that it was Russia's intention to declare Yanukovych as President of Ukraine in the event of Russian forces gaining control of Kyiv. [287], Beginning in the summer of 2014, the prosecutor's office investigated Yanukovych's signing of the Kharkiv treaty, which allowed the Black Sea Fleet to stay in Ukraine for an additional 25 years. It is an approximate forecast of how rich is Viktor Yanukovych and could vary in the range between $729.7K - $1.5M. "[330], Yanukovych is not known as a great speaker. Janukovytj flydde till Ryssland i februari 2014 och talades i maj 2017 fr att ha gjort allt fr att hjlpa Ryssland att annektera ukrainskt territorium. [297], Interpol later confirmed that Yanukovych and Oleksandr Yanukovych were no longer subject to an Interpol red notice or diffusion, and that they are unknown on Interpol's databases. [70], Early vote returns from the first round of the election held on 17 January showed Yanukovych in first place with 35.8% of the vote. The Berkut, later disbanded on 25 February 2014, were a special police force under his personal command and were accused of defending Russian interests. [citation needed]. Monument to corruption: Ukraine's most-wanted man built $75M home on a $25G salary By | Fox News The Ukraine's most-wanted man, ousted President Viktor Yanukovych, remains on the run as his. Yanukovych secretly fled the city that evening. The signature of the judge for these documents in Yanukovych's retraction was also forged. [174], The Yanukovych family, a group of young businessmen described as "robber capitalists", have been buying up both public and private businesses at "rock bottom" prices available in the stagnating economic conditions brought on by Yanukovych's economic policies. [178] Over 46% of the budget subventions for social and economic development was allotted to the Donbas region's Donetsk Oblast and Luhansk Oblast administrations 0.62 billion UAH ($76.2 million) versus 0.71 billion UAH ($87.5 million) for the rest of the country. [125], In a newspaper interview during the 2010 Ukrainian presidential election campaign, he stated that the status of Russian in Ukraine "is too politicized" and said that if elected president in 2010 he would "have a real opportunity to adopt a law on languages, which implements the requirements of the European Charter of regional languages". [287] The prosecutor's office also considered that Yanukovych was helped by former government officials Mykola Azarov (prime minister), Yuriy Kolobov (finance minister), Anatoliy Markovsky (first deputy minister of finance), Hennadiy Reznikov (director of Derzhspetszviazok), and Dzenyk (Ukrtelekom board of directors). [358] Manafort's task was to rehabilitate Yanukovych's political career in the aftermath of the Orange Revolution. [238][239] In a June 2015 interview with BBC's Newsnight he thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for "saving his life". Yuriy Lutsenko, the head of the ministry, announced that forensic tests proved the forgery of the respective documents (issued in instead of 1978) and initially claimed that lack of the formal acquittal precluded Yanukovych from running for the seat in the 2006 parliamentary election.[62]. [317][318] Yanukovych himself stated[clarification needed] that his ex-wife did not wish for her grandson to pick up the bad habits of his grandfather, but Yanukovych did not specify what kind of habits those were. I went around bare-footed on the streets. [59] In 2008, Yanukovych spoke at a congress of the United Russia party. [197], The deadliest clashes were on 1820 February, which saw the most severe violence in Ukraine since it regained independence. Virtual tour of the protesters grounds", "Ukraine: A year after EuroMaydan, justice delayed, justice denied", "Ukrainian Prime Minister Azarov resigns", "Ukraine crisis: 'One miscalculation, and Britain faces an existential threat to our whole being', "Modern Imperialism in Crimea and the Donbas", "Ukraine Protestors Seize Kiev As President Flees", "On withdrawal of the President of Ukraine from the implementation of constitutional powers and calling early presidential elections in Ukraine", Parliamentary vote on the draft resolution on the withdrawal of President of Ukraine to fulfill constitutional powers (number 4193), "-: : , "", "Janukowitsch ruft ukrainische Armee zur Befehlsverweigerung auf", "Yanukovych's removal was unconstitutional", "Was Yanukovych's Ouster Constitutional? Yanukovych was taken to Moscow's Sklifosovsky Institute of Emergency Medicine by ambulance on 16 November in an immobilized condition. [224], In a press conference several days after leaving Kyiv, Yanukovych claimed that at the time he did not "flee anywhere", but that his car was shot at "by automatic rifles" as he left Kyiv for Kharkiv "to meet the representatives of local parties" and he was then forced to move around Ukraine amid fears for the safety of himself and his family. [304][305], However the former leader was hospitalized in Moscow days before he was scheduled to give the final statement. [219], Two days later, Ukraine's parliament dismissed five judges of the Constitutional Court for allegedly violating their oaths, who were then investigated for alleged malpractice. [95][96][97], In May 2012, Yanukovych set up the Constitutional Assembly of Ukraine, a special auxiliary agency under the President for drawing up bills of amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine; the President then can table them in parliament. The verdict was that Yanukovych was sentenced to 13 years of jail in absentia. This is a matter of the state's national security". [241] On the same day, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that he didn't know anything about this. [130], In a late July 2013 speech Yanukovych stated: "All churches and religious organizations are equal for the state. April 29, 2017 05:18 GMT. [286] Yanukovych is being charged with abuse of power (Article 364) and state treason (Article 111) that are being investigated since April 2014 as well as the new procedure on creation of criminal organization (Article 255) that is being investigated since the summer. Ukraine viewpoint: Novelist Andrey Kurkov, Ukraine ex-PM Tymoshenko charged with misusing funds, The Party of Regions monopolises power in Ukraine, Ukraine launches battle against corruption, Ukraine:Journalists Face Uncertain Future, Yanukovych Tells U.K's Cameron No Fears for Ukraine's Democracy, Yulia Kovalevska:Only some bankrupt politicians try to use the Day of Unification with the aim of self-PR, President: Ukraine must fulfill its commitments to Council of Europe, Our Ukraine comes to defense of Tymoshenko, Lutsenko, Didenko, Makarenko in statement, "U.S. Government Statement of Concern about Arrest of Former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko", "Q&A: Ukraine's Yulia Tymoshenko on trial", "A Stockholm Conspiracy: The Underbelly of Ukrainian Gas Dealings", Trials of Tymoshenko, other officials fall short of European standards, Yanukovych admits, Yanukovych says he will protect freedom of speech and interests of journalists, 1+1 TV journalists claim censorship of news reports, Journalists, in defensive crouch, swing news coverage to Yanukovychs favor, Semynozhenko: No examples of censorship on Ukrainian TV channels, Opposition benefiting from topic of censorship at mass media, says Hanna Herman, : , , Yanukovych bears no grudges against Tymoshenko, "Yanukovych, the luxury residence and the money trail that leads to London", "Ukraine crisis: Yanukovych and the tycoons", "Yanukovych Must Go Ukrainians Will Protest as Long as His Corrupt Regime Exists", "Anti-Corruption Action Center calls for freeze of Yanukovych, other assets abroad", "Profiting from Power? [237] Yanukovych claimed that the decisions of the Ukrainian parliament adopted "in the atmosphere of extremist threats" are unlawful and he remains the "legal president of Ukraine". Viktor Yanukovych is a former Ukrainian politician who has a net worth of $100 million. [63] Viktor Yanukovych's Party of Regions won the 2006 Ukrainian parliamentary election. [16][248][c][16][250], Yanukovych stated he had been able to escape to Russia "thanks to patriotic officers who did their duty and helped me stay alive". ", Yanukovych says he is clean, unlike the current government, "Ousted Ukraine leader aiming to return as rebel rockets threaten peace plan", "Who Is Paul Manafort's Man In Kyiv? Viktor Medvedchuk (file photo) The United States imposed sanctions on Medvedchuk in 2014, accusing him of undermining democracy in Ukraine. According to RBC sources, Yanukovych arrived at the Radisson Royal Hotel, Moscow (often referred by its former name as "Hotel Ukraine") on the night of 25 February 2014. It had kitchens, first aid posts and broadcasting facilities, as well as stages for speeches, lectures, debates and performances. [299], In November 2016, Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko questioned Yanukovych via video link in connection with the former Berkut. Viktor Fedorovych Yanukovych is a former politician of Ukraine who has a net worth of $100 million. [266], In a 22 February 2017, interview with Christopher Miller of Radio Free Europe, Konstantin Kilimnik explained the existence of a peace effort between Russia and Ukraine called the "Mariupol Plan" in which Viktor Yanukovych would return as president of Russia's illegally controlled regions and Crimea in Ukraine. [255], Russia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin told the UN Security Council on 4 March 2014 that Yanukovych had asked Russia to send troops across the RussiaUkraine border to protect civilians via a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin on 1 March 2014. On self-removal of the President of Ukraine from the exercise of constitutional powers and appointment of extraordinary elections of the President of Ukraine. [145], According to Yanukovych the main priority of his foreign policy was to integrate Ukraine "into the European mainstream", while improving relations with Russia. [115], During the 2010 Nuclear Security Summit, Yanukovych announced that Ukraine would give up its 90-kilogram stock of highly enriched uranium and convert its research reactors from highly enriched to low-enriched uranium. Protesters opposed what they saw as widespread government corruption, abuse of power, human rights violations,[191] and the influence of oligarchs.[192]. [235], According to Russian politician Oleg Mitvol, Yanukovych bought a house in Barvikha for $52 million on 26 February 2014. [83], On 3 March 2010, Yanukovych suspended his membership in the Party of Regions as he was barred by the Constitution from heading a political party while president,[84] and handed over leadership in the party and its parliamentary faction to Mykola Azarov. [355], In December 2004 Yanukovych and his Party of Regions hired American political consultant Paul Manafort as an adviser. [81][133] During the visit Yanukovych stated that there would be no change to Ukraine's status as a member of the NATO outreach program.[134]. News reports at the time highlighted several similar deaths of people with ties to Yanukovych's father. American federal prosecutors alleged that between 2010 and 2014 Manafort was paid more than $60 million by Ukrainian sponsors, including Rinat Akhmetov, believed to be the richest man in Ukraine. [53] Yanukovych began his term as Prime Minister on 21 November 2002 following a 234-vote confirmation in the Verkhovna Rada, eight more than needed.[54][55]. In a statement issued by Oleksandr Yefremov, parliamentary faction leader, the party and its members "strongly condemn[ed] the criminal orders that led to human victims, an empty state treasury, huge debts, shame before the eyes of the Ukrainian people and the entire world. Yanukovych has been accused, by Amnesty International[195][196] among others, of using the Berkut to threaten, attack, and torture protesters. In 1976, as a second-year student, he was promoted to director of a small trucking division within the Ordzhonikidzeugol coal-mining company. He was Prime Minister of Ukraine from 21 November 2002 to 7 December 2004 and from 28 December 2004 to 5 January 2005, under President Leonid Kuchma. [190] This sparked large protests at Independence Square (Maidan Nezalezhnosti) in the center of Kyiv, which became known as 'Euromaidan'. [331] His native language is Russian,[332] similar to a majority of the population of his power-base and native Eastern Ukraine. He was sentenced to two years of imprisonment and did not appeal the verdict. [peacockprose] According to Rossiyskaya Gazeta two documents had been forged regarding Yanukovych's robbery in association with rape and assault and battery. The exact distribution of wealth and precise weight of influence are difficult to gauge, but most of the country's richest men were afraid to cross the Yanukovich family, even in cases where their own economic interests favored an economically pro-EU Ukraine. [189], On 21 November 2013, Yanukovych abruptly changed his mind on the Association Agreement with the EU, instead deciding to strengthen economic ties with Russia. Oh wait. [26], In social polls conducted since his departure from office, Yanukovych is regarded as the worst president in Ukrainian history. This also refers to foreign centres through which religious organizations sometimes seek to affect the internal political situation in Ukraine. "I didn't want mothers to lose their children and wives their husbands. [203] The acting Prime Minister, Serhiy Arbuzov, was also missing. Because no candidate passed the 50 percent threshold, a second round of voting was scheduled. They had the right to use weapons. RosBusinessConsulting also reported sightings of Viktor Pshonka, a former Prosecutor General of Ukraine in the hall of Radisson Royal Hotel. [316] After the start of the Russo-Ukrainian War she reportedly moved to Crimea. Investigators say that various actions of Ukrainian officials and Ukrtranslizing employees cost the Ukraine government almost 300 million hrvynias (around $13 million). [45] Others, particularly members of the Party of Regions, have claimed that the documents were a falsehood with the intention of disparaging Yanukovych ahead of elections. "[citation needed] "The Holodomor was in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. [257] In this interview he claimed "if I do decide to use the Armed Forces, this will be a legitimate decision in full compliance with both general norms of international law, since we have the appeal of the legitimate President. Yanukovych lived in the estate from 2002, when he first . [234], The EU association agreement was signed on 29 May 2014, after his removal. [43][44] However, it has also been stated by residents of Yanuki that Yanukovych's family left for the Donbas before 1917, and that the collaborator Fyodor Yanukovych was an unrelated individual. [103], On 30 November 2010, Yanukovych vetoed a new tax code made by the Azarov Government and earlier approved by the Verkhovna Rada but protested against in rallies across Ukraine (one of the largest protests since the 2004 Orange Revolution). Yanukovych wants Ukraine to "neither join NATO nor the CSTO".