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Yuriy Boyko

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Hero of Ukraine
Yuriy Boyko
Юрій Бойко
Юрий Бойко
Boyko in 2018
Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine[a]
In office
24 December 2012 – 27 February 2014
Prime MinisterMykola Azarov
Preceded byBorys Kolesnikov
Succeeded byVolodymyr Kistion[b]
Minister of Energy
In office
11 March 2010 – 12 December 2012
Prime MinisterMykola Azarov
Preceded byYuriy Prodan
Succeeded byEduard Stavytsky
In office
4 August 2006 – 18 December 2007
Prime MinisterViktor Yanukovych
Preceded byIvan Plachkov
Succeeded byEduard Stavytsky
People's Deputy of Ukraine
Incumbent
Assumed office
27 November 2014
In office
23 November 2007 – 12 December 2012
Deputy Minister of Energy
In office
July 2003 – March 2005
Prime MinisterViktor Yanukovych
Personal details
Born
Yuriy Anatoliyovych Boyko

(1958-10-09) 9 October 1958 (age 66)
Horlivka, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Political partyPlatform for Life and Peace (since 2022)
Opposition Platform — For Life (2018–2022)[1]
Opposition Bloc (2010–2018)
Party of Regions (2006–2010)[2]
Republican Party of Ukraine (2005–2006)
SpouseVera
Children3 sons
3 daughters
Alma materEast Ukraine University
Russian University of Mendeleev
OccupationPolitician
In this name that follows Eastern Slavic naming customs, the patronymic is Anatoliyovych and the family name is Boyko.

Yuriy Anatoliyovych Boyko (Ukrainian: Юрій Анатолійович Бойко, Russian: Ю́рий Анато́льевич Бо́йко; born 9 October 1958) is a Ukrainian politician who served as one of the Vice Prime Ministers of Ukraine between 2012 and 2014,[3] as well as the Minister of Energy from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2010 to 2012. Other than during stint as Vice Prime Minister, he has continuously served as a Member of the Verkhovna Rada since 2007. Boyko ran for President in the March 2019 election, winning many districts in the southeast of the country but narrowly missing qualification for the second round by 4.28% of the votes.

Designated a Hero of Ukraine in 2004, Boyko was considered to be one of the primary proponents of closer relations with Russia in Ukrainian politics.[4] Boyko was a leading figure of the now-banned Opposition Platform — For Life, which he led to second place in the July 2019 parliamentary election, and currently heads its successor, the Platform for Life and Peace. Following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, which he opposed, he reversed some of his pro-Russian stances, now supporting Ukraine's proposed accession to the European Union.[5][6][7][8]

Early life and education

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Yuriy Boyko was born on 9 October 1958, in Horlivka, Donetsk Oblast.[9][10][11] In 1981 Boyko graduated from the D. Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia (chemical engineering), and in 2001 he graduated from Volodymyr Dahl East Ukrainian National University (engineering and economics).[9][11]

Early career

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From 1981 to 1999, Boyko started as a master at an industrial site and rose to the title of Director General of the chemical plant Zarya in Rubezhnoye. Following that, from 1999 to 2001, he was Director General of JSC Lisichansknefteorgsintez (Lysychansk refinery), and from August 2001 to February 2002 Boyko served as chairman of the management board of JSC Ukrtatnafta (Kremenchuk refinery).

In February 2002 Boyko was appointed the chairman of NAC Naftogaz-Ukraine, and led the company until March 2005.

Political career

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Yanukovych cabinet

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Boyko served as First Deputy Minister of Fuel and Energy of Ukraine from July 2003 to March 2005 in the cabinet of then-Prime Minister Victor Yanukovych.[12] In late July 2004, he was also appointed in the coordination committee for RosUkrEnergo.[12]

In the summer of 2005 President Viktor Yushchenko blocked the arrest of Boyko on suspicion of abuse of office while heading Naftogaz.[13][14] This arrest had been ordered by Security Service of Ukraine Chairman Oleksandr Turchynov.[13][14]

During Ukrainian parliamentary elections in 2006, held the year after Boyko was elected the chairman of the Republican Party of Ukraine (RPU), the RPU joined the electoral alliance "Ne Tak!", yet they did not succeed to reach the 3% election threshold required by law to enter parliament.

On 4 August 2006, he was appointed by Yanukovych as Minister of Fuel and Energy.[9] Holding office for over a year, on 18 December 2007, he was dismissed due to the upcoming parliamentary elections, which he successfully contested as member of the Party of Regions.[15]

Azarov cabinet

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On 11 March 2010 Boyko was again appointed the Minister of Fuel and Energy of Ukraine by Prime Minister Mykola Azarov.[16] On 9 December 2010, due to the optimisation of the system of central executive power in Ukraine (a.k.a. reorganisation of ministries), Yanukovych, who was now President of Ukraine, dismissed Boyko on a technicality and re-appointed him as Minister of Energy and Coal Industry.[17]

On 24 December 2012, Boyko was promoted to the position of a Vice Prime Minister, responsible for ecology, natural resources, energy, coal industry and industrial policy. On 23 May 2013, the space sector was added to his functions.[18]

Career after vice premiership

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Meeting between Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Medvedev and Gazprom chairman Alexey Miller, leading the Russian delegation, with Yuriy Boyko and Viktor Medvedchuk on the Ukrainian side
Boyko giving a speech in the Verkhovna Rada (2018)

On 29 March 2014, a Party of Regions convention decided to support Boyko's political opponent Mykhailo Dobkin as a candidate for the presidential election,[2] and on 7 April 2014, the party's political council expelled Boyko amidst infighting.[2] Boyko launched a last-minute presidential campaign himself to oppose Dodkin, receiving less than a percentage point of the electorate.[19]

In the 2014 Ukrainian parliamentary election he was again re-elected into parliament; this time heading the electoral list of Opposition Bloc.[20][21]

On 9 November 2018, Boyko and the party For life signed an agreement for cooperation in the 2019 Ukrainian presidential election and the parliamentary election of the same year called Opposition Platform-For life.[22][1] The same day Opposition Bloc leading members Vadym Novynskyi and Borys Kolesnikov claimed the agreement was a "personal initiative" of Boyko and that Opposition Bloc had not taken any decisions on cooperation with For life.[23] On 17 November 2018 Opposition Platform-For life nominated Boyko as its candidate in the 2019 Ukrainian presidential election.[1] Boyko was excluded from the Opposition Bloc faction (the reason given was) "because they betrayed their voters" interests on 20 November 2018.[24] Boyko's official nomination by Opposition Platform-For life was announced on 17 November.[25] Because Opposition Platform-For life was not yet registered as a party in January 2019 it could not nominate him as a presidential candidate.[25][26] Hence on 17 January 2019 Boyko submitted documents to the Central Election Commission of Ukraine for registration as a self-nominated candidate.[25] In the election Boyko took fourth place with 11.67% of the total vote, just over 4% behind incumbent Petro Poroshenko, who polled second and progressed to the second round along with the winner Volodymyr Zelenskyy.[27] In the parliamentary election a few months later, Boyko led his Opposition Platform — For Life party to second place with 13.05% of the vote, becoming the main opposition party.

His party was banned by the government following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine for its pro-Russian stances, despite it having opposed the invasion itself.

Boyko reversed a number of his pro-Russian stances following the ban on his party, and later formed a new parliamentary group made up of former OPZZh members called Platform for Life and Peace, now backing the Servant of the People-government in parliament, alongside the other party made up of formerly pro-Russian politicians, Restoration of Ukraine.[28] However, in December 2024, Boyko was criticised after posting a video on social media saying that “radicals” were “tearing down monuments, renaming cities, forbidding people to speak their native language and attend the church of their choice”, which was similar to stances expressed by Russia. He subsequently apologised and called Russian president Vladimir Putin a war criminal.[29]

Popularity

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Data shortly before the parliamentary elections in June 2019 suggested that Boyko was the second-ranked pick to be Prime Minister of Ukraine behind eventual appointee Oleksiy Honcharuk.

Controversies

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Lobbying in the United States

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Through an offshore scheme in 2005, Boyko funded a K-street lobbyist through which he would meet with top members of the United States Republican Party and other conservatives in the United States.[30]

Offshore platform controversy

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According to newspaper Dzerkalo Tyzhnia ("The Weekly Mirror"),[31][32] in 2011 Boyko was cited confirming the purchase of a modern offshore drilling platform from Singapore. Dzerkalo Tyzhnia conducted an investigation into the tender surrounding the offshore platform, in which Highway Investment Processing LLC, a supposed offshore shell from Wales, UK, was the winner. The article stated that the Ukrainian state company Chornomornaftogaz, engaged in offshore oil and gas production in Azov and the Black Sea, paid over $400M for a drilling rig that costs $248M. Using Google Street View, journalists cited that Highway Investment Processing LLC appeared to be situated in an equipment store on the outskirts of Cardiff, Wales,[33] and the LLC was further cited in the media as going through liquidation; however, the authorities suspended the liquidation process due to an investigation.[34] Official records with the United Kingdom's Companies House indicated the company was incorporated on 12 December 2008 and was currently listed as active.[35] Throughout the whole affair, Boyko denied fraud allegations surrounding the purchase, citing additional equipment and movement costs and a "report from Halliburton" confirming the price of $400M.[36] After Boyko labeled the Dzerkalo Tyzhnia journalists as "liars," the newspaper in turn filed a lawsuit against Boyko; the case is currently in appeals.[37] The affair also sparked a scandal in Norway where Seadrill was accused of insufficient due diligence and KYC on its shell customer Highway Investment Processing LLC.[38]

2016 assault

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During a televised debate on 14 November 2016, Boyko punched politician Oleh Lyashko in the face after being called a "Kremlin agent."[39]

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It is alleged that Boyko is "close associates" with the controversial businessman Dmytro Firtash.[40][41][42][43]

Awards

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  • 22 August 2004 - title Hero of Ukraine and the Order of the State, for outstanding personal service to the development of Ukrainian fuel and energy complex, and long-term commitment[44]
  • 22 May 2003 - Order of Merit, III class, for good results in work and significant personal contribution to the development of oil and gas industry in Ukraine[45]
  • Order of Saint Seraphim of Sarov of the II class[46]

Personal life

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He is married, together with his wife Vera he is raising 6 children.[47] Boyko plays ice hockey, football, likes waterskiing and windsurfing.[10]

Notes

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  1. ^ on ecology and energy complexes
  2. ^ Vacant from 2014 to 2016

References

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  1. ^ a b c (in Ukrainian) The association of Boyko-Rabinovich was determined with the presidential candidate, Ukrayinska Pravda (17 November 2018)
  2. ^ a b c Ukraine's Party of Regions expels presidential hopefuls Tigipko, Tsariov and Boiko, Interfax-Ukraine (7 April 2014)
  3. ^ Yanukovych appoints new Cabinet of Ministers, Kyiv Post (24 December 2012)
  4. ^ https://news.liga.net/politics/news/nardepy-verhovnoy-rady-iz-opzj-pereehali-v-pzjm-smi Нардепы Верховной Рады из ОПЗЖ переехали в ПЗЖМ – Левый берег
  5. ^ "People's deputies from the OPFL decided to call themselves PFLP". Українська правда (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  6. ^ https://ukranews.com/news/863876-bojko-nazval-horoshim-signalom-obeshhanie-liderov-es-dat-ukraine-status-kandidata-v-chleny-soyuza Boyko called the promise of EU leaders to give Ukraine the status of a candidate member of the union a good signal
  7. ^ https://skeptik.com.ua/boiko-i-posol-es-obsydili-sozdanie-organa-kotoryi-bydet-zanimatsia-pereselencami Archived 2022-05-24 at the Wayback Machine Boyko and the EU Ambassador discussed the creation of a body that will deal with IDPs
  8. ^ https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/rada-opzzh-boyko-stolar-zelenskyi-sluga-narodu/31933389.html They support Zelensky and the course towards the EU and plan rebranding: how does OPZZ live after the split and the ban?
  9. ^ a b c "Бойко Юрий". LIGA. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  10. ^ a b "Бойко Юрій. ДОСЬЄ". Досьє. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  11. ^ a b "Юрий Бойко". bestpeople.com.ua. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  12. ^ a b How Ukraine Became a Market Economy and Democracy by Anders Åslund, Peterson Institute for International Economics, 2009, ISBN 978-0-88132-427-3 (page 170)
  13. ^ a b Gas Lobby Takes Control of Ukraine's Secret Service Archived 2017-03-14 at the Wayback Machine by Taras Kuzio (18 March 2010)
  14. ^ a b Ukraine: Battle Against Corruption Grinds To A Halt, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (September 26, 2005)
  15. ^ "Про припинення повноважень членів Кабінету Міністрів України". Офіційний вебпортал парламенту України.
  16. ^ "Про формування складу Кабінету Міністрів України". Офіційний вебпортал парламенту України.
  17. ^ "Всі документи бази даних "Законодавство України" (станом на 11 лютого 2022 р.)".
  18. ^ President charges Vice Premier Boiko with duties in space sector, Interfax-Ukraine (23 May 2013)
  19. ^ "Poroshenko wins presidential election with 54.7% of vote - CEC". Radio Ukraine International. 29 May 2014.
    Результаты выборов Президента Украины 2014 [Results of the Presidential Elections of Ukraine 2014] (in Russian). telegraf.com.ua. 29 May 2014. Archived from the original on 29 May 2014.
  20. ^ Poroshenko Bloc to have greatest number of seats in parliament Archived November 12, 2014, at the Wayback Machine, Ukrinform (8 November 2014)
    "People's Front 0.33% ahead of Poroshenko Bloc with all ballots counted in Ukraine elections - CEC". Interfax-Ukraine. 8 November 2014. Archived from the original on 12 November 2014.
    Poroshenko Bloc to get 132 seats in parliament - CEC, Interfax-Ukraine (8 November 2014)
  21. ^ (in Ukrainian) electoral list of Opposition Block, Ukrayinska Pravda (19 September 2014)
  22. ^ Two Russia-friendly parties join forces for presidential election, Kyiv Post (9 November 2018)
  23. ^ (in Ukrainian) Boyko's decision to merge with Rabinovich does not concern the "Opposition" - Novinsky, Ukrayinska Pravda (9 November 2018)
  24. ^ Boiko, Loovochkin excluded from Opposition Bloc faction for betraying voters' interests — Vilkul Archived 2019-07-19 at the Wayback Machine, Interfax-Ukraine (20 November 2018)
  25. ^ a b c (in Ukrainian) Boyko began registering as a presidential candidate, Ukrayinska Pravda (17 November 2018)
  26. ^ (in Ukrainian) FOR LIFE Who is Vadim Rabinovich to whom? by Ukrayinska Pravda/Civil movement "Chesno" (2017)
  27. ^ First round results of the 2019 Ukrainian presidential election, Central Election Commission of Ukraine
  28. ^ Sereda, Sofiya (11 July 2022). "Підтримують Зеленського і курс на ЄС та планують ребрендинг: як живе ОПЗЖ після розколу і заборони?". Radio Svoboda (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2022-12-23.
  29. ^ Zadorozhnyy, Tim (17 December 2024). "MP Boyko calls Putin 'war criminal,' apologizes for pro-Russian statement after interrogation". The Kyiv Independent. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  30. ^ Simpson, Glenn R.; Jacoby, Mary (April 17, 2007). "How Lobbyists Help Ex-Soviets Woo Washington". The Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Archived from the original on July 9, 2017. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
  31. ^ "Dzerkalo Tyzhnia". VoxEurop.eu. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  32. ^ "Вышка для Бойко".
  33. ^ Цензор.НЕТ (22 September 2011). "Новая афера Бойко: теперь вышку "Нафтогазу" продает старая рижская судоверфь и магазин сантехники из Уэльса. ФОТО". Цензор.НЕТ. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  34. ^ "ТВі: Прокуратура Великобританії почала розслідування, яке стосується закупівлі Україною бурової вишки". ua.korrespondent.net. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  35. ^ "Failure Page". wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  36. ^ "СМИ: Бойко не смог документально подтвердить прозрачность покупки своей нефтяной вышки". ukranews_com. 19 March 2012. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  37. ^ "Новости Украины. Последние новости за сегодня онлайн. Все свежие новости - LIGA.net". news.liga.net. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  38. ^ Stack, Graham (19 April 2012). "Ukraine's murky Black Sea tenders cast shadow over Norway". Business News Europe. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
  39. ^ SEE IT: Ukrainian lawmaker punches colleague in brawl at parliament meeting, NY Daily News (14 November 2016)
  40. ^ Russian Patriarch prays for Yanukovych, honors Firtash and Boyko (updated), Kyiv Post (October 2, 2011)
  41. ^ Balmaceda, Margarita Mercedes (2008). Energy Dependency, Politics and Corruption in the Former Soviet Union: Russia's Power, Oligarchs' Profits and Ukraine's Missing Energy Policy, 1995-2006. Routledge. p. 124. ISBN 978-0-415-43779-0.
  42. ^ The Underbelly of Ukrainian Gas Dealings, Der Spiegel (30 December 2010)
  43. ^ Socor, Vladimir (25 March 2010). "Naftohaz Ukrainy Management Change Indicates Turn to Russia". Georgian Daily. Archived from the original on 1 April 2012.
  44. ^ "Про присвоєння Ю. Бойку звання Герой України".
  45. ^ "Про відзначення державними нагородами України".
  46. ^ "Предстоятель Русской Церкви совершил освящение Свято-Троицкого собора Вознесенского Банченского монастыря и Божественную литургию в новоосвященном храме / Новости / Патриархия.ru". Патриархия.ru. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  47. ^ "Юрій Бойко. Біографія" (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 2012-04-02. Retrieved 2023-08-27.
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