Viktor Yanukovych.
Fugitive ex-president of Ukraine (2010 - 2014)
Viktor Fedorovich Yanukovich is the fugitive ex-president of Ukraine.
Brief biography
Viktor Yanukovich was born in the city of Yenakievo, Donetsk region, on July 9, 1950.
In 1967, at the age of seventeen he was sentenced to three years in prison for participation in a robbery.
The second time he was sentenced to two years in prison was in 1970 for "inflicting bodily harm of medium severity.
In 1980 he joined the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.
In 1997, he began his career as a politician in independent Ukraine as a governor of the Donetsk region.
In 2002, he was appointed Prime Minister of Ukraine. Yanukovych's stay in that position was remembered by the Ukrainians with a scandal about privatization of Krivorozhstal, which was held at a record-breaking low price.
In 2003 Viktor Yanukovych was elected Chairman of the Party of Regions.
In 2004 he ran for the president of Ukraine. Mass falsification of the results by Yanukovych's supporters during the second round of elections led to the start of the Orange Revolution (aka Maidan). As a result, a third round of elections was held, where Yanukovych lost to his opponent Viktor Yushchenko.
From 2006 to 2007, he served as the Prime Minister of Ukraine under Viktor Yushchenko.
In 2010 Viktor Yanukovych won the next presidential election in Ukraine, defeating his opponent Yulia Tymoshenko.
Viktor Yanukovych and the Revolution of Dignity
In 2013, Viktor Yanukovych refused to sign the Association Agreement with the European Union, which led to protests in the center of Kiev, the Independence Square.
A further decision by Yanukovych and his inner circle to disperse the protests by force led to the emergence of Euromaidan, and the protests within its framework became multi-million and nationwide.
Attempts by Viktor Yanukovych to somehow resolve the situation led to nothing, and eventually, after the shootings of the Heavenly Hundred, he fled Ukraine to Russia.
As a result, the Ukrainian parliament stripped Viktor Yanukovych of his position and rights as president of Ukraine for "unconstitutional self-exclusion from exercising his constitutional powers."
Trial of Viktor Yanukovych
Victor Yanukovych is charged with:
Mass murders of Ukrainian citizens during the Revolution of Dignity.
Calls for the change of power in Ukraine in an unconstitutional way (appeal to the head of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin to introduce Russian troops on the Ukrainian territory).
Seizure of state power in Ukraine in 2010 (by illegally changing the Constitution).
Ukrainian legislation was amended to allow for trials in absentia. After several years, Yanukovych's trial resulted in a verdict: a guilty plea and 13 years in prison.
Yanukovych's debt
Yanukovych's debt - three billion dollars, which at the initiative of Viktor Yanukovych Ukraine received from Russia on Eurobonds.
Yanukovych's residence.
"Mezhigorie " - illegally acquired by Viktor Yanukovych a plot of land of 140 hectares, on which his residence was built.
"Yanukovych's land" was remembered by Ukrainians for the zoo with the famous "ostriches that are harassed", a real sailboat in the local lake, gold toilets and gold bidets, a collection of souvenirs presented to Yanukovych, among which is the famous "golden loaf".
After the Revolution of Dignity Mezhigorie was returned to state ownership and opened to the public.
Viktor Yanukovych's family
Viktor Yanukovich's ex-wife Lyudmila Yanukovich. She became famous for her speech at a rally in 2004, where she talked about the "drugged oranges" that were handed out on the Orange Maidan.
Also, the "Yanukovych Family" (aka "Donetsk Clan") is an oligarchic group headed by Viktor Yanukovych.
Where is Yanukovych now?
As of 2019, Viktor Yanukovych is still in exile, in the Russian Federation.
