Yuriy Boyko
Yuriy Anatoliyovych Boyko (; born 9 October 1958) is a Ukrainian politician who served as Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine between 2012 and 2014 and Minister of Fuel and Energy of Ukraine between 2006 and 2007. Boyko unsuccessfully ran for President in the 2014 and 2019 elections. Designated a Hero of Ukraine in 2004, Boyko is considered to be one of the primary proponents of closer relations with Russia in Ukrainian politics. Boyko was a member of the pro-Russian Opposition Platform — For Life party and is currently leader of its successor the Platform for Life and Peace. Early  life and education. Yuriy Boyko was born on 9 October 1958, in Horlivka, Donetsk Oblast. In 1981 Boyko graduated from the D. Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia (chemical engineering), and in 2001 he graduated from Volodymyr Dahl East Ukrainian National University (engineering and economics). Early career. From 1981 to 1999, Boyko started as a master at an industrial site and rose to the title of Director General of the chemical plant Zarya in Rubezhnoye. Following that, from 1999 to 2001, he was Director General of JSC Lisichansknefteorgsintez (Lisichansk refinery), and from August 2001 to February 2002 Boyko served  as Chairman of the management board of JSC Ukrtatnafta (Kremenchug refinery). In February 2002 Boyko was appointed the Chairman of NAC Naftogaz-Ukraine, and led the company until March 2005. He also served as first Deputy Minister of Fuel and Energy of Ukraine from July 2003 to March 2005. Political career. Linked to top United States Republican Party officials. Through an offshore scheme in 2005, Boyko funded a K-street lobbyist through which he would meet with top members of the United States Republican Party and other conservatives in the United States. Yanukovych Cabinet. Boyko was deputy Minister of Fuel  and Energy in the cabinet of Viktor Yanukovych (21 November 2002 – 7 December 2004). In late July 2004, he was appointed in a coordination committee for RosUkrEnergo. On April 23, 2005, Boyko was elected the Chairman of the Republican Party of Ukraine (RPU). During Ukrainian parliamentary elections in 2006, the RPU joined the Opposition Bloc "Ne Tak!", yet they did not succeed to reach the 3% election threshold required by law. In the summer of 2005 President Viktor Yushchenko prevented Boyko to be arrested for abuse of office while heading Naftogaz. This arrest had been ordered by Security Service of  Ukraine Chairman Oleksandr Turchynov. On 4 August 2006, he was appointed the Minister of Fuel and Energy (in the government of Viktor Yanukovych). On 18 December 2007 Boyko was dismissed as Minister of Fuel and Energy of Ukraine due to the election to the 6th parliamentary elections. Azarov Cabinet. November 2007 - March 2010 - People's Deputy of Ukraine, the 6th convocation of Verkhovna Rada, elected from the Party of Regions in the Ukrainian parliamentary elections in 2007. On 11 March 2010 Boyko was appointed the Minister of Fuel and Energy of Ukraine (in Mykola Azarov government) On 9 December 2010 , due to the optimization of the system of central executive power in Ukraine (a.k.a. reorganization of ministries) President Yanukovych dismissed Boyko from his position as Minister of Fuel and Energy of Ukraine and appointed him the Minister of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine. On 24 December 2012, Boiko was appointed a Vice Prime Minister in sphere of ecology, natural resources, energy, coal industry and industrial policy. On 23 May 2013, the space sector was added to his functions. Offshore platform controversy. According to newspaper "Dzerkalo Tyzhnia" ("The Weekly Mirror"), in 2011 Boyko was cited confirming the purchase of a  modern offshore drilling platform from Singapore. "Dzerkalo Tyzhnia" conducted an investigation into the tender surrounding the offshore platform, in which Highway Investment Processing LLC, a supposed offshore shell from Wales, UK, was the winner. The article stated that the Ukrainian state company Chornomornaftogaz, engaged in offshore oil and gas production in Azov and the Black Sea, paid over $400M for a drilling rig that costs $248M. Using Google Street View, journalists cited that Highway Investment Processing LLC appeared to be situated in an equipment store on the outskirts of Cardiff, Wales, and the LLC was further cited  in the media as going through liquidation; however, the authorities suspended the liquidation process due to an investigation. Official records with the United Kingdom's Companies House indicated the company was incorporated on 12 December 2008 and was currently listed as active. Throughout the whole affair, Boyko denied fraud allegations surrounding the purchase, citing additional equipment and movement costs and a "report from Halliburton" confirming the price of $400M. After Boyko labeled the "Dzerkalo Tyzhnia" journalists as "liars," the newspaper in turn filed a lawsuit against Boyko; the case is currently in appeals. The affair also sparked a scandal  in Norway where Seadrill was accused of insufficient due diligence and KYC on its shell customer Highway Investment Processing LLC. Career since 2014. On 29 March 2014, a Party of Regions convention supported Mykhailo Dobkin's nomination as a presidential candidate, and on 7 April 2014, the political council of that party expelled Boyko from the party. In the 2014 Ukrainian presidential election Boyko received 0.19% of the vote. In the 2014 Ukrainian parliamentary election he was again re-elected into parliament; this time heading the electoral list of Opposition Bloc. On 14 November 2016, he physically attacked politician Oleh  Lyashko after being called a "Kremlin agent." On 9 November 2018, Boyko and the party For life signed an agreement for cooperation in the 2019 Ukrainian presidential election and the parliamentary election of the same year called Opposition Platform-For life.<ref name="pravda2018/11/17/7198528H"> The association of Boyko-Rabinovich was determined with the presidential candidate, Ukrayinska Pravda (17 November 2018)</ref> The same day Opposition Bloc leading members Vadym Novynskyi and Borys Kolesnikov claimed the agreement was a "personal initiative" of Boyko and that Opposition Bloc had not taken any decisions on cooperation with For life. On 17 November 2018 Opposition  Platform-For life nominated Boyko as its candidate in the 2019 Ukrainian presidential election. Boyko was excluded from the Opposition Bloc faction (the reason given was) "because they betrayed their voters" interests on 20 November 2018. Boyko's official nomination by Opposition Platform-For life was announced on 17 November. Because Opposition Platform-For life was not yet registered as a party in January 2019 it could not nominate him as a presidential candidate. Hence on 17 January 2019 Boyko submitted documents to the Central Election Commission of Ukraine for registration as a self-nominated candidate. In the election Boyko  took fourth place with 11.67% of the total vote. Evaluation. In June 2019, before the parliamentary elections in Verkhovna Rada, Boyko ranked second among potential prime ministers (13%), defeating Tymoshenko (11%) and Groysman (10%). Personal life. He is married, together with his wife Vera he is raising 6 children. Boyko plays ice hockey, football, likes waterskiing and windsurfing. It is alleged that Boyko is "close associates" with the controversial businessman Dmytro Firtash. External links. <includeonly></includeonly>