new Delhi: Ukraine’s ex-president Viktor Yanukovich, who fled to Russia in 2014, is likely to be declared Ukraine’s next president, The Kyiv Independent reported.
A report said Viktor Yanukovich was being groomed by the Kremlin for a “special occasion” and could be declared “President of Ukraine” according to Ukrainian intelligence.
The report said that the Kremlin is preparing an information campaign or action for the return of Yanukovich to Ukraine.
The report said that Yanukovych is currently in Minsk. The move is seen in political circles as Russia’s way of setting up a remote-control government in Ukraine as it seeks to overthrow the regime of Volodymyr Zelensky.
Who is Viktor Yanukovych?
Yanukovich was the Prime Minister of Ukraine under President Leonid Kuchma from 21 November 2002 to 7 December 2004 and from 28 December 2004 to 5 January 2005.
He also served as the fourth President of Ukraine since 2010. He fled to Russia in 2014 after his government was overthrown following the Maidan Kranti or “revolution of the Revolution”. The word “ground” is an Arabic word meaning “square” or “open space”.
Yanukovich’s government was overthrown after a series of violent clashes between protesters and riot police in the capital Kyiv.
The protests began after Yanukovich refused to sign a trade deal with the European Union in November 2013 under pressure from Russia. The agreement will more closely integrate the political and economic ties between the EU and Ukraine.
Thousands took to the streets in protest and about 25,000 people camped in Kyiv’s Central Square grounds. Around 100 activists are reported to have been killed in clashes with security forces.
With the demonstrations intensifying day by day, Yanukovic signed a series of laws restricting the right to protest.
In late February 2014, French, German and Polish foreign ministers arrived in Kyiv to try and broker a deal between Yanukovic and the opposition.
However, public anger against Yanukovich was high after the bloodshed and soon after the signing of the agreement, he fled the country fearing for his safety.