President Viktor Yanukovych, elected in 2010, appears to be gone from the capital, though it is unclear if he plans to resign. The wave of unrest in Ukraine began in November, when Yanukovych scrapped a European Union trade deal and turned toward Russia. Part of the deal was to release his political opponent, former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
Key players in Ukraine —
President Viktor Yanukovych, elected in 2010, appears to be gone from the capital, though it is unclear if he plans to resign. The wave of unrest in Ukraine began in November, when Yanukovych scrapped a European Union trade deal and turned toward Russia. Part of the deal was to release his political opponent, former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
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Yulia Tymoshenko lost the 2010 presidential election to Yanukovych. The following year, she was sentenced to seven years in prison after being convicted of abuse of authority over a natural gas deal negotiated with Russia, a punishment that the U.S. and Europe sees as politically motivated. Tymoshenko was freed from prison on Saturday, February 22, according to the press officer for her political party. Tymoshenko is seen here at her trial in 2011.
Key players in Ukraine —
Yulia Tymoshenko lost the 2010 presidential election to Yanukovych. The following year, she was sentenced to seven years in prison after being convicted of abuse of authority over a natural gas deal negotiated with Russia, a punishment that the U.S. and Europe sees as politically motivated. Tymoshenko was freed from prison on Saturday, February 22, according to the press officer for her political party. Tymoshenko is seen here at her trial in 2011.
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Vitali Klitschko, a former heavyweight boxing champion, has been the biggest and most well-known opposition figure during the crisis. Klitschko heads the Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reforms party. In a sign of his influence, it was Klitschko who went to Yanukovych's office for negotiation talks.
Key players in Ukraine —
Vitali Klitschko, a former heavyweight boxing champion, has been the biggest and most well-known opposition figure during the crisis. Klitschko heads the Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reforms party. In a sign of his influence, it was Klitschko who went to Yanukovych's office for negotiation talks.
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Arseniy Yatsenyuk has led the opposition Batkivshchyna party, to which jailed former Prime Minister Tymoshenko belongs, since December 2012. He can claim experience in government, having been chairman of Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, from 2007 to 2008, according to the website of his foundation, Open Ukraine.
Key players in Ukraine —
Arseniy Yatsenyuk has led the opposition Batkivshchyna party, to which jailed former Prime Minister Tymoshenko belongs, since December 2012. He can claim experience in government, having been chairman of Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, from 2007 to 2008, according to the website of his foundation, Open Ukraine.
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Oleh Tyahnybok has headed the nationalist, far-right opposition party Svoboda, or Freedom, for the past decade. Tyahnybok was first elected to a local council position in 1994 and was elected to the parliament four years later. He became head of the party in 2004, when it changed its name from the Social National Party of Ukraine to Svoboda. Concerns have been raised in some quarters about the extremist views allegedly held by some members of the party.
Key players in Ukraine —
Oleh Tyahnybok has headed the nationalist, far-right opposition party Svoboda, or Freedom, for the past decade. Tyahnybok was first elected to a local council position in 1994 and was elected to the parliament four years later. He became head of the party in 2004, when it changed its name from the Social National Party of Ukraine to Svoboda. Concerns have been raised in some quarters about the extremist views allegedly held by some members of the party.
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