There were 2,917 media references to Yanukovych on February 22-28, as compared with 2,903 references to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. Moscow, March 1 (Interfax) - Victor Yanukovych sworn in as the new president of Ukraine on February 25 topped the list of persons most frequently mentioned in the Russian media last week.

There were 2,917 media references to Yanukovych on February 22-28, as compared with 2,903 references to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev according to the Interfax SCAN news analysis system.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin ranked third with 1,809 references, and Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko came fourth with 1,000. Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yuschenko ranked fifth with 980 references.

The top five was followed by State Duma Speaker Boris Gryzlov 467), biathlete Yevgeny Ustyugov who won Olympic gold in Vancouver (457), U.S. President Barack Obama (452), speed skater and Vancouver silver and bronze medal winner Ivan Skobrev (414) and Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov (408).

The rating is compiled on the number of references to a particular person in documents received by SCAN from more than 1,700 national and regional publications, news agencies, specialized and industry publications, television, radio and the Internet.

SCAN is a product of the Interfax International Information Group, which provides current information and access to electronic media archives, and offers a unique system to monitor text and analysis.

SCAN receives over 24,000 documents daily.