Viktor Fedorovych Yanukovych, born July 9, 1950, in Yenakiieve, Donetsk Oblast, is a Ukrainian politician who served as Prime Minister of Ukraine (2002–2005, 2006–2007) and as the country’s fourth President (2010–2014)[1][2][4]. His political career was closely associated with eastern Ukraine’s industrial heartland and the pro-Russian Party of Regions, which he led from 2003[3][5]. Yanukovych’s rise from a working-class background—marked by a troubled youth that included two convictions for violent crimes—to national leadership was notable for its rapid ascent through regional administration and industrial management before entering national politics[3][4]. Yanukovych first gained prominence during the 2004 presidential election, which he initially won amid widespread allegations of fraud. Massive protests, known as the Orange Revolution, led to a Supreme Court-ordered revote, which he lost to Viktor Yushchenko[1][5]. Despite this setback, Yanukovych remained a leading opposition figure and, capitalizing on public discontent with economic hardship and political infighting, won the 2010 presidential election, defeating Yulia Tymoshenko[3][6]. His presidency was marked by efforts to balance relations between the European Union and Russia, including signing an agreement to extend Russia’s lease on naval bases in Crimea in exchange for discounted gas[6]. He also oversaw Ukraine’s commitment to nuclear nonproliferation by relinquishing stocks of highly enriched uranium[6]. However, his administration faced criticism for the politically motivated prosecution of Tymoshenko and for perceived democratic backsliding[6]. Yanukovych’s presidency ended abruptly in February 2014 amid the Euromaidan protests, sparked by his rejection of an EU association agreement in favor of closer ties with Russia. After security forces killed dozens of protesters, he was impeached by parliament and fled to Russia[2][4][5]. In absentia, he was later found guilty of treason by Ukrainian courts and declared wanted by Interpol[1]. Since his ouster, Yanukovych has lived in exile in Russia, with no significant political role in Ukraine. His tenure and dramatic exit remain central to discussions of Ukraine’s post-Soviet political trajectory, the 2014 Revolution of Dignity, and the subsequent Russian annexation of Crimea and war in Donbas. While occasionally referenced in geopolitical analyses, especially regarding Russia’s influence in Ukraine, Yanukovych himself is not an active participant in current Ukrainian politics[2][6].