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KEY PLAYERS IN UKRAINE CRISIS
ABC Premium News (Australia)
March 3, 2014 Monday 7:42 PM AEST
Viktor Yanukovych
Mr Yanukovych was elected as Ukraine president in 2010 elections,
however his decision to walk away from a trade agreement with
the European Union in favour of closer economic ties with Russia
last November sparked bloody protests that led to his ouster this
month. He appears to be gone from the capital, Kiev, however it
is unclear whether he plans to resign. RIA has cited Russian prime
minister Dimitry Medvedev as saying that under Ukraine's constitution
Mr Yanukovych is the legitimate head of state, despite his authority
being practically non-existent.
Vitali Klitschko
Mr Klitschko (aka. Dr Ironfist) has been one of the main voices of
opposition to Mr Yanukovych. The 42-year-old former WBC heavyweight
boxing champion heads the Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform
and has confirmed that he will nominate for the presidency at the
May 25 national election. However, despite his high profile he has
failed twice to be elected mayor of Kiev. In an interview with former
ABC Moscow correspondent Eric Campbell, he spoke of his political
motivations: "We're fighting for the future, for our family, and for
our kids. We want to live in a democratic country."
Yulia Tymoshenko
Ms Tymoshenko, who lost the 2010 presidential election to Mr
Yanukovych, looks set to be Mr Klitschko's main rival in any
elections. The former prime minister was freed from prison on February
22 after serving two years of a seven-year sentence for abuse of
authority over a natural gas deal negotiated with Russia, a punishment
the US and Europe saw as politically motivated. The pro-EU politician
is a divisive figure in Ukraine, commanding devotion from some and
contempt from others who are disillusioned with a political class
widely seen as a corrupt and elitist. In an address to protesters
in Kiev's Independence Square upon her release, she called those who
died in recent clashes "liberators".
Oleksandr Turchynov
Mr Turchynov, the former parliamentary speaker named as Ukraine's
acting president, was an important figure in the 2004 Orange Revolution
and considered the right-hand man of Ms Tymoshenko as first deputy
leader of her Batkivshchyna (Fatherland) party. Mr Turchynov was
said to have angered some protesters when, after Mr Yanukovych's
apparent departure from Kiev, he told them that they had achieved
their goals and should go home. He has called for the formation of
a unity government as soon as possible and says priorities include
saving the economy and "returning to the path of European integration".
Arseniy Yatsenyuk
Mr Yatsenyuk, Ukraine's new prime minister, has led the opposition
Fatherland party since December 2012. The 39-year-old former lawyer, a
prominent figure during the recent protests, held top posts in previous
governments, including foreign minister and governor of the central
bank. He stood in the first round of the 2010 presidential election
but won less than 7 per cent of the vote, despite an intercepted
phone call in which US envoy Victoria Nuland described him as the
"guy who's got the economic experience, the governing experience".
Arsen Avakov
Mr Avakov took over the powerful post of interior minister after
Ukraine MPs dismissed Vitaly Zakharchenko, an ally of Mr Yanukovych,
following two days of carnage in Kiev. An active Facebook user,
he has been posting Russian-language updates on the hunt for Mr
Yanukovych, often before official sources are told. He also posted
an update on what he called Russia's "armed invasion and occupation"
by Russian forces of a military airport near the port of Sevastopol,
where the Russian Black Sea fleet has a base. Another member of Ms
Tymoshenko's Fatherland party, the ethnic Armenian former businessman
has also flagged an inquiry into the shootings of demonstrators in
Kiev between February 18 and 20.
Oleh Tyahnybok
Mr Tyahnybok has led the far-right opposition party Svoboda, or
Freedom - whose activists were prominent among the protesters - for
the past decade. The party, Ukraine's fourth-largest, campaigns on
promoting traditional Ukrainian values and culture. Mr Tyahnybok, who
stood for president in 2010 but took just 1.4 per cent of the vote,
has appeared alongside Mr Klitschko and Mr Yatsenyuk onstage in the
Maidan. According to the Svoboda website, Mr Tyahnybok's childhood home
was frequently searched by the Soviet security service, KGB, and he and
his family spent seven years in exile in Siberia after his grandfather,
Artemij Tsehelskyj, refused to join the Moscow-affiliated church.
Andriy Parubiy
Appointed secretary of the security and National Defence Committee,
which supervises the defence ministry and the armed forces, Mr Parubiy
is now Ukraine's top security official. The Fatherland MP, who served
as the party's parliamentary head and chief negotiator during the
protests and enjoys widespread support on the street, has emerged
as one of the most visible and influential leaders of the opposition
movement. A former lawyer and Ukrainian foreign minister, Mr Parubiy
shares the pro-EU stance of Mr Klitschko and Ms Tymoshenko. He has
also accused the Kremlin of commanding armed groups in Сrimea,
which has led Ukraine to put its armed forces on full combat alert.
Yuriy Lutsenko
Mr Lutsenko, the leader of the Third Ukrainian Republic opposition
movement, led protests against Mr Yanukovych but was hospitalised after
being beaten in clashes that erupted between pro-EU demonstrators and
club-wielding police. Mr Lutsenko - who served as Ms Tymoshenko's
interior minister - had been imprisoned for abuse of office and
embezzlement, however his sentence was criticised as being politically
motivated, and after lobbying from the European Union he was released
and pardoned.
ABC Premium News (Australia)
March 3, 2014 Monday 7:42 PM AEST
Viktor Yanukovych
Mr Yanukovych was elected as Ukraine president in 2010 elections,
however his decision to walk away from a trade agreement with
the European Union in favour of closer economic ties with Russia
last November sparked bloody protests that led to his ouster this
month. He appears to be gone from the capital, Kiev, however it
is unclear whether he plans to resign. RIA has cited Russian prime
minister Dimitry Medvedev as saying that under Ukraine's constitution
Mr Yanukovych is the legitimate head of state, despite his authority
being practically non-existent.
Vitali Klitschko
Mr Klitschko (aka. Dr Ironfist) has been one of the main voices of
opposition to Mr Yanukovych. The 42-year-old former WBC heavyweight
boxing champion heads the Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform
and has confirmed that he will nominate for the presidency at the
May 25 national election. However, despite his high profile he has
failed twice to be elected mayor of Kiev. In an interview with former
ABC Moscow correspondent Eric Campbell, he spoke of his political
motivations: "We're fighting for the future, for our family, and for
our kids. We want to live in a democratic country."
Yulia Tymoshenko
Ms Tymoshenko, who lost the 2010 presidential election to Mr
Yanukovych, looks set to be Mr Klitschko's main rival in any
elections. The former prime minister was freed from prison on February
22 after serving two years of a seven-year sentence for abuse of
authority over a natural gas deal negotiated with Russia, a punishment
the US and Europe saw as politically motivated. The pro-EU politician
is a divisive figure in Ukraine, commanding devotion from some and
contempt from others who are disillusioned with a political class
widely seen as a corrupt and elitist. In an address to protesters
in Kiev's Independence Square upon her release, she called those who
died in recent clashes "liberators".
Oleksandr Turchynov
Mr Turchynov, the former parliamentary speaker named as Ukraine's
acting president, was an important figure in the 2004 Orange Revolution
and considered the right-hand man of Ms Tymoshenko as first deputy
leader of her Batkivshchyna (Fatherland) party. Mr Turchynov was
said to have angered some protesters when, after Mr Yanukovych's
apparent departure from Kiev, he told them that they had achieved
their goals and should go home. He has called for the formation of
a unity government as soon as possible and says priorities include
saving the economy and "returning to the path of European integration".
Arseniy Yatsenyuk
Mr Yatsenyuk, Ukraine's new prime minister, has led the opposition
Fatherland party since December 2012. The 39-year-old former lawyer, a
prominent figure during the recent protests, held top posts in previous
governments, including foreign minister and governor of the central
bank. He stood in the first round of the 2010 presidential election
but won less than 7 per cent of the vote, despite an intercepted
phone call in which US envoy Victoria Nuland described him as the
"guy who's got the economic experience, the governing experience".
Arsen Avakov
Mr Avakov took over the powerful post of interior minister after
Ukraine MPs dismissed Vitaly Zakharchenko, an ally of Mr Yanukovych,
following two days of carnage in Kiev. An active Facebook user,
he has been posting Russian-language updates on the hunt for Mr
Yanukovych, often before official sources are told. He also posted
an update on what he called Russia's "armed invasion and occupation"
by Russian forces of a military airport near the port of Sevastopol,
where the Russian Black Sea fleet has a base. Another member of Ms
Tymoshenko's Fatherland party, the ethnic Armenian former businessman
has also flagged an inquiry into the shootings of demonstrators in
Kiev between February 18 and 20.
Oleh Tyahnybok
Mr Tyahnybok has led the far-right opposition party Svoboda, or
Freedom - whose activists were prominent among the protesters - for
the past decade. The party, Ukraine's fourth-largest, campaigns on
promoting traditional Ukrainian values and culture. Mr Tyahnybok, who
stood for president in 2010 but took just 1.4 per cent of the vote,
has appeared alongside Mr Klitschko and Mr Yatsenyuk onstage in the
Maidan. According to the Svoboda website, Mr Tyahnybok's childhood home
was frequently searched by the Soviet security service, KGB, and he and
his family spent seven years in exile in Siberia after his grandfather,
Artemij Tsehelskyj, refused to join the Moscow-affiliated church.
Andriy Parubiy
Appointed secretary of the security and National Defence Committee,
which supervises the defence ministry and the armed forces, Mr Parubiy
is now Ukraine's top security official. The Fatherland MP, who served
as the party's parliamentary head and chief negotiator during the
protests and enjoys widespread support on the street, has emerged
as one of the most visible and influential leaders of the opposition
movement. A former lawyer and Ukrainian foreign minister, Mr Parubiy
shares the pro-EU stance of Mr Klitschko and Ms Tymoshenko. He has
also accused the Kremlin of commanding armed groups in Сrimea,
which has led Ukraine to put its armed forces on full combat alert.
Yuriy Lutsenko
Mr Lutsenko, the leader of the Third Ukrainian Republic opposition
movement, led protests against Mr Yanukovych but was hospitalised after
being beaten in clashes that erupted between pro-EU demonstrators and
club-wielding police. Mr Lutsenko - who served as Ms Tymoshenko's
interior minister - had been imprisoned for abuse of office and
embezzlement, however his sentence was criticised as being politically
motivated, and after lobbying from the European Union he was released
and pardoned.