Viktor Yanukovych

**Viktor Fedorovych Yanukovych** (; born July 9, 1950, Yenakiieve, Stalin Region, Ukrainian SSR) is a Ukrainian politician who was the 4th President of Ukraine from 2010 to 2014; found guilty of treason. On January 12, 2015, he was declared wanted by Interpol.

## 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.

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.

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.

Yanukovych was a victim of poverty in his childhood and was twice put in prison for violent crimes in his youth.

After mass protest in Ukraine during February 2014, Yanukovych was forced-out of office on 22 February 2014. 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.

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. 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.

### 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.

## Other websites

- CLAN of Yanukovich: YANUKOVICH

## Infobox (officeholder)

- **name**: Viktor Yanukovych
- **native name lang**: uk
- **image**: Viktor Yanukovych official portrait.jpg
- **caption**: Official portrait, 2010
- **order**: 4th
- **office**: President of Ukraine
- **primeminister**: Yulia Tymoshenko
Oleksandr Turchynov <small>(Acting)</small>
Mykola Azarov
Serhiy Arbuzov
- **term start**: 25 February 2010
- **term end**: 22 February 2014
- **predecessor**: Viktor Yushchenko
- **successor**: Oleksandr Turchynov <small>(Acting)</small>
- **order1**: 9th and 12th
- **office1**: Prime Minister of Ukraine
- **president1**: Viktor Yushchenko
- **deputy1**: Mykola Azarov
- **term start1**: 4 August 2006
- **term end1**: 18 December 2007
- **predecessor1**: Yuriy Yekhanurov
- **successor1**: Yulia Tymoshenko
- **president2**: Leonid Kuchma
- **deputy2**: Mykola Azarov
- **term start2**: 28 December 2004
- **term end2**: 5 January 2005
- **predecessor2**: Mykola Azarov <small>(Acting)</small>
- **successor2**: Mykola Azarov <small>(Acting)</small>
- **president3**: Leonid Kuchma
- **deputy3**: Mykola Azarov
- **term start3**: 21 November 2002
- **term end3**: 7 December 2004
- **predecessor3**: Anatoliy Kinakh
- **successor3**: Mykola Azarov
- **office4**: Governor of Donetsk Oblast
- **term start4**: 14 May 1997
- **term end4**: 21 November 2002
- **predecessor4**: Serhii Polyakov
- **successor4**: Anatoliy Blyzniuk
- **birth name**: Viktor Fedorovych Yanukovych
- **birth place**: Yenakiieve, Yenakiyevo, Donetsk Oblast, Stalino Oblast, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
- **party**: Communist Party of the Soviet Union
Party of Regions
- **children**: Oleksandr Yanukovych, Oleksandr (b. 1973)
Viktor Viktorovych Yanukovych, Viktor (1981–2015)
- **alma mater**: Donetsk National Technical University
Ukrainian State University of Finance and International Trade
- **nationality**: Ukraine, Ukrainian
Russia (2014)
- **signature**: Viktor Yanukovych signature.svg
- **website**: [https://web.archive.org/web/20140209093624/http://www.president.gov.ua/en/ Viktor Yanukovych, President of Ukraine] (_Archived_)
- **office5**: People's Deputy of Ukraine
- **convocation5**: 5th Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada, 5th convocation
- **constituency5**: Party of Regions, No.1
- **term start5**: 25 May 2006
- **term end5**: 12 September 2006
- **convocation6**: 6th Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada, 6th convocation
- **constituency6**: Party of Regions, No.1
- **term start6**: 23 November 2007
- **term end6**: 19 February 2010