2014. Ukraine. Yanukovych.
"Official portrait of Viktor Yanukovych, the 4th president of Ukraine" by The Government of Ukraine under CC BY 4.0
In February 2014, Ukraine was rocked by a political crisis that led to the downfall of its president, Viktor Yanukovych. The crisis began when Yanukovych rejected a proposed trade deal with the European Union in favor of closer ties with Russia. This decision sparked massive protests in Ukraine's capital, Kiev, which eventually turned violent, leading to dozens of deaths.
Foreign Policy's 2014 article "The Loan That Launched A Crisis" argued that Yanukovych's decision to turn towards Russia was influenced by a $15 billion loan that Russian President Vladimir Putin had offered Ukraine in 2013. The article argued that this loan came with strings attached, such as demands that Ukraine join a customs union with Russia and other former Soviet republics. Yanukovych's decision to reject the EU trade deal and turn towards Russia led to the protests that eventually brought down his government.
After months of protests and violence, Yanukovych was voted out by Ukraine's parliament on February 22, 2014, and fled the country. NPR's article "Ukrainian President Voted Out; Opposition Leader Freed" reported that Yanukovych's ouster was met with cheers and celebrations on the streets of Kiev. The same day, Ukraine's parliament voted to release Yanukovych's political rival, former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, from prison.
The situation remained volatile, however. The Washington Post's article "With President’s Departure, Ukraine Looks Toward a Murky Future" argued that Ukraine faced an uncertain future, with a new government facing economic instability, territorial disputes, and ongoing protests from Russian-speaking regions in the east of the country.
Meanwhile, questions remained about the legality of Yanukovych's ouster. RFERL's article "Was Yanukovych's Ouster Constitutional?" examined whether Yanukovych's removal from power was legal under Ukraine's constitution. Some legal experts argued that Yanukovych had effectively abandoned his post by fleeing the country, while others argued that the impeachment process had not been followed correctly.
In the years since Yanukovych's ouster, he has remained a controversial figure. The New York Times' 2014 article "Just Like His Power, Ukrainian Ex-Leader Vanishes Into Thin Air" reported that Yanukovych had fled Ukraine and gone into hiding, with his whereabouts unknown for several days. Yanukovych later resurfaced in Russia, where he was granted asylum.
Yanukovych has since been found guilty of treason by a Ukrainian court, as reported in The Guardian's article "Ukraine's ex-president Viktor Yanukovych found guilty of treason." However, his political legacy remains contested. Fortune's article "Who is Viktor Yanukovych, the former Ukrainian president Putin reportedly wants to put back in power?" argued that Yanukovych still has supporters in Ukraine and that Russian President Vladimir Putin may be seeking to restore him to power.
Overall, the crisis that began in Ukraine in 2014 remains a highly contentious issue, with ongoing debates about the legality of Yanukovych's ouster, the role of Russia in the conflict, and the future of Ukraine's relationship with both Russia and the European Union.
Written in part in collaboration with ChatGPT on April 25, 2023
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Sources for 2014. Ukraine. Yanukovych:
Breakthrough? Ukrainian President, Opposition Leaders Reach Deal - NPR February 21, 2014
Ukrainian President Voted Out; Opposition Leader Freed - NPR February 22, 2014
Ukraine's former PM rallies protesters after Yanukovych flees Kiev - The Guardian February 22, 2014
Ukraine Protestors Seize Kiev As President Flees - TIME February 22, 2014
Ukraine's President Voted Out, Flees Kiev - The Atlantic February 22, 2014
Was Yanukovych's Ouster Constitutional? - RFERL February 23, 2014
Ukraine issues arrest warrant for ousted President Viktor Yanukovych - CNN February 24, 2014
Mystery man: Ukraine's U.S. fixer - POLITICO March 5, 2014
Putin: Russia helped Yanukovych to flee Ukraine - BBC News October 24, 2014
Viktor Yanukovych | president of Ukraine - Britannica September 5, 2015
Ukraine's Yanukovich blames radicals for bloodshed at Maidan protests - Reuters November 28, 2016
Ukraine’s Ex-President Is Convicted of Treason - The New York Times January 24, 2019
Ukraine's ex-president Viktor Yanukovych found guilty of treason - The Guardian January 25, 2019
Ukraine: Six years after the Maidan - BROOKINGS February 21, 2020
Conflict in Ukraine - Council on Foreign Relations July 2, 2020
Putin accuses US of orchestrating 2014 ‘coup’ in Ukraine - AL JAZEERA June 22, 2021
What Really Happened in Ukraine in 2014—and Since Then - The Bulwark April 13, 2022