Before his nomination as prime minister on Feb. 27, Arseniy Yatseniuk said he was going to lead a “kamikaze government.” His Cabinet has 21 members, a mix of veteran politicians, EuroMaidan activists and a few people who could make a big difference.
HEAD OF STATE
Viktor Yanukovych, 63, on Feb. 25 could have celebrated four years in presidential office. Instead on that day the parliament voted to try him for mass murder in the International Court of Justice. Yanukovych fled from Kiev on Feb. 21 escaping from public rage after over 80 civilians and dozens of policemen have been shot dead by snipers allegedly by his order. He released an outraged statement on Feb. 27 claiming he was still the president.
Oleksandr Turchynov, 49, MP of Batkivshchyna party. Turchynov was elected on Feb. 22 as parliament speaker and became acting president for the time being, until a new president is elected on May 25.
PRESIDENTIAL CHIEF OF STAFF
Andriy Kliuyev, 49, is also wanted for mass murder. Klieyev resigned from his post on Feb. 23 and was shot at on the same day, his spokesman reported.
Oleg Rafalsky, 54. His nomination sparked criticism of many observers as Rafalsky worked at secretariat of Party of Regions and came to presidential office in 2010, the year when Yanukovych became president.
PRIME MINISTER
Mykola Azarov, 66, worked as Prime Minister since 2010 and resigned on Jan. 28. Soon after, Azarov reportedly left for Austria, where his son, also a lawmaker, has a luxury mansion. On Feb. 26 Prosecutor General launched a probe into crimes committed by Azarov and his government.
Arseniy Yatseniuk, 39. A career politician and former businessman, Yatseniuk has held a number of top offices before: head of the National Bank of Ukraine, foreign minister and Verkhovna Rada speaker among them. Yatseniuk is notoriously difficult to get along with. His leadership of the Batkivshchyna Party in recent years, while Tymoshenko was in prison, has earned him much criticism and has alienated many party members.
FIRST DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
Sergiy Arbuzov, 37, was believed to be close to Yanukovych’s elder son Oleksandr, which seems to be backed by a photo found in Mezhyhirya. Working as acting Prime Minister since late January, Arbuzov, took a sick leave after Yanukovych disappeared but reported that he “was trying to run the government,” his press-service said.
Vitaly Yarema, 50, is a highly respected former general and ex-Kyiv city police chief. A member of anti-corruption committee in parliament, he will be responsible for coordinating law enforcers and restoring peace in the nation, a task that Yatseniuk said was number one for the government.
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTERS
OLD
Oleksandr Vilkul, 39, started work as vice-prime minister on infrastructure since December 2012, where he governed over Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. Vilkul’s swift rise sparked speculations that he could replace Azarov as prime minister. Vilkul continued to perform his duties until he was dismissed by parliament on Feb. 27, according to his press service.
Yury Boiko, 55, has been in energy business for his entire business and political career. He was in charge of Naftogaz Ukraine state energy company, and twice worked as minister of fuel and energy in 2006 and 2010. He was a business partner of oligarch Dmytro Firtash, and did not run out of Kyiv during the change of government.
Kostyantyn Gryshchenko, 60, was in charge of humanitarian issues in Azarov’s government since December 2012, after being dismissed as foreign minister, which many interpreted as a demotion. Hryshchenko used to work as ambassador to the United States and Russia, and led foreign ministry under President Leonid Kuchma. After Yanukovych ran, Hryshchenko tweeted that he is in Kyiv, with no plans to leave.
NEW
Oleksandr Sych, 49. This Svoboda Party member from Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast had a swift rise since his party made it to parliament and has made some highly controversial moves since his election. One of his legal initiatives was an attempt to ban all abortions, even for pregnancies that occurred during rape, an idea that caused a massive outcry among human rights groups. He also famously recommended women to “lead the kind of lifestyle to avoid the risk of rape, including one from drinking alcohol and being in controversial company.” It’s not clear what area of the economy he will supervise as deputy prime minister.
Borys Tarasiuk, 65, will be in charge of European integration. A career diplomat, Tarasiuk have been foreign minister in four different governments in independent Ukraine. But he is disliked by many local diplomats for his arrogance. Later the day on Feb. 27 Tarasiuk refused from his post in government, saying he was proposed a mid-level seat.
Volodymyr Hroisman, 36, will be responsible for regional policy. He comes from the city of Vinnytsia where he has been mayor since 2006. Elected at the age of 28, he is credited for transforming the city’s bureaucracy into one of the nation’s friendliest – a deed that earned him a record-breaking number of votes during re-election in 2010, when 77.8 percent of the city residents supported him. Hroisman is believed to be close to millionaire businessman and member of parliament Petro Poroshenko, also a Vinnytsia native.
PROSECUTOR GENERAL
Viktor Pshonka, 60, close ally and friend of Yanukovych. Along with his boss, Pshonka is accused of mass murder and is wanted and on the run.
Oleg Makhnytsky, 44, was lawmaker of Svoboda Party before his nomination as chief of prosecution. Born in Lviv, he worked as a prosecutor there for a number of years. “I will do everything for justice, for rule of law to be established for Ukraine and to bring to justice all those who are guilty and to make sure that those who are innocent go free,” Makhnitski said after 312 out of 450 lawmakers appointed him as prosecutor.
SECURITY SERVICES OF UKRAINE CHIEF
Oleksandr Yakymenko, 49, born in Russia, he was in Russian military service by 1998 before starting work in SBU. He headed SBU in Sevastopol and Donetsk Oblast before moving to Kyiv in 2012. His name is among six top officials on the wanted list for mass murder. He is on the run.
Valentyn Nalyvaichenko, 47, headed the Security Services of Ukraine in 2009-2010 under President Viktor Yushchenko. He was again appointed to this office by 346 lawmakers. Speaking in parliament, he pledged to “protect people’s lives” and apply the law fairly.
INTERIOR MINISTER
Vitaly Zakharchenko, 51, is one another close ally of so called the Family, Yanukovych’s inner circle. Maidan called him one of main responsible for brutal police break up of student’s rally on Nov. 30, 2013 and demanded his resignation. Zakharchenko, however, remained on his post before Yanukovych’s oust from power. Sopme media reported he left to Belarus.
Arsen Avakov, 50, was confirmed as Interior Minister. A former head of the Kharkiv regional council and former head of Yushchenko’s presidential campaign in Kharkiv, he was accused of illegal privatization of land and abuse of power and was under criminal investigation by the previous government, which forced him to flee to Italy. His fellow party members said the case was politically motivated. Avakov has also founded and run a big business and a bank. He is one of the most authoritative members of Batkivshchyna at the moment, who emerged during the revolution.
MINISTER OF DEFENCE
Pavlo Lebedev, 51, was a nondescript Defebse Minister in Yanukovych’s government, he yet had to flee to Crimea on Feb. 22. he still insisted he was performing his duties all the way to Feb. 27.
Ihor Teniukh
Admiral Ihor Teniukh, 55, was appointed the new acting defense minister. He had previously led Ukraine’s fleet in 2006-2010, but quit the job in March 2010, soon after the election of Viktor Yanukovych as president, citing moral reasons. On Jan. 19, at the height of EuroMaidan protests, he called on the army to not take part in clashes.
“In case a force scenario develops and you receive criminal orders to use weapons against peaceful population, do not allow the government to use you to establish dictatorship like in Northern Korea,” he said from stage on Maidan.
MINISTER OF REVENUES AND DUTIES
Oleksandr Klymenko, 33, headed newly formed Ministry of revenues and duties since December 2012. Left for vacation since Feb. 24, his press service reported, adding they had no idea about his whereabouts. Ministry disband now.
MINISTER OF FINANCES
Yury Kolobov, 40, worked as minister of finances since February 2012. Despite his close ties with Yanukovych’s inner circle, so called Family, Kolobov stayed in Kiev and has negotiations with new government.
Oleksandr Shlapak, 54. The Finance Ministry was taken over by Russian-born, Lviv-educated Oleksandr Shlapak. A former deputy head of PrivatBank, he is also a representative of the Kolomoisky group in the new Cabinet. In his previous government incarnations, he has served as President Leonid Kuchma’s economy minister and deputy head of the President Yushchenko’s secretariat, among other. Shlapak was one of the witnesses for prosecution during the Tymoshenko trial, which sent her to jail for seven years.
MINISTER OF ENERGY
Eduard Stavytsky, 41, energy minister since December 2012. Before that worked as minister of ecology. Remained on his work place despite all political changes and expressed condolence over mass killing of protesters.
Yuriy Prodan. Russian-born Yuriy Prodan, 55, had already been in this job under President Yushchenko and Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko in 2007-2010. He had previously worked in Kyivenergo, the capital’s energy monopoly supplier, and played a central role in creation of the National Energy Market. Despite its name, it has become a poorly controlled state monopoly for sale of electricity. Prodan has been described by the Ukrainian media as a person close to Privat Group of controversial billionaire Igor Kolomoisky.
MINISTER OF JUSTICE
Olena Lukash, 38, became fist publicly known as she represented Yanukovych side in Supreme Court in 2004 in a case about new second round of presidential elections. She lost the case, but was remunerated when Yanukovych came to power and gave her post in his administration. Lukash as minister of justice participated in negotiations with opposition leaders. She was absent in the ministry on Feb. 26, but her press service reported she was in Ukraine.
Pavlo Petrenko, 34, is a Yatseniuk loyalist who used to head the legal department in his Front Zmin party, which merged with Batkivshchyna in 2012. He has worked in the state Oschadbank, and worked as deputy of Kyiv regional council and Verkhovna Rada. One of his first steps in office he announced recertification of judges.
MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Leonid Kozhara, 51, was in charge of foreign affairs sector in Party of Regions before in December 2012 Yanukovych nominated him as foreign affairs minister. After Yanukovych’s escape Kozhara reportedly disappeared taking a number of ministry’s financial documents.
Andriy Deshchytsia. Tarasiuk’s candidacy was originally suggested for foreign minister, but instead the post was given to Andriy Deshchytsia, a 50-year-old career diplomat, who most lately served as Ukraine’s representative to OSCE. He was the author of the diplomats’ statement in support of EuroMaidan in early February.
MINISTER OF AGRARIAN POLICY
Mykola Prysiazhniuk, 54, headed country’s lucrative agrarian sector for all the years of Yanukovych’s presidency. Prysiazhniuk was suspected of using his position for imposing and backing murky grain trading company Khlibinvestbud that was receiving huge revenues thanks to receiving high grain quotas in 2011. Prysiazhniuk constantly denied any ties with Khlibinvestbud. His whereabout after Yanukovych’s escape where unclear, as his press service wasn’t responding to phone calls.
Ihor Shvaika. Svoboda’s Ihor Shvaika, 38, was appointed Agriculture Minister. Russian-born and Kharkiv-educated lawyer, he worked in Kharkiv law companies in leading roles, as well as local branches of law companies. A member of right-wing nationalist Svoboda since 2007, he thrived on publicity when he moved to Kyiv after the 2012 parliamentary election. He was very vocal in anti-shale gas campaigns led by Svoboda, and was in the middle of a child abduction scandal last year, when his former wife accused him of taking away their 5-year-old child. He returned the child to the mother, Ukrainian media reported.
