List of political scandals in Ukraine

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This is a list of political scandals in Ukraine.

Introduction

The Verkhovna Rada, the Parliament of Ukraine, has been notorious around the world for its brawls when lawmakers could not reach agreement.^{[citation needed]} Probably one of the most notorious became the fight that occurred on April 27, 2010, which involved egg missiles and smoke bombs.^{[citation needed]}

Several major standoffs have developed out of the Russia–Ukraine gas disputes into a real cold war between Ukraine and Russia which took most of Europe by hostage. The gas issues that had existed since the fall of the Soviet Union became really acute in January 2009.^{[citation needed]} Another continuously addressed and scandalous issue is one concerning a state language and status of the Russian language in Ukraine, which is predominant throughout the country. Trying to reverse the process of russification of Ukraine, the Constitution of Ukraine recognizes the Ukrainian language as the only state language concerning government matters, while still granting the Russian language protection as a regional language.^{[citation needed]} There is also an issue with the state borders that has yet to be finalized, while the Mayor of Moscow (Yuri Luzhkov) continues to release statements in 2008 questioning the status of Sevastopol long after the signing of the treaty on peace and friendship in 1997.^{[citation needed]}

1992–1993

Massandra deals: Black Sea Fleet scandals, gas issue, Ukraine's nuclear arsenal and Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances^{[citation needed]}
Incident with the "Afghan Home" in Pechersk, Kyiv^{[citation needed]}

1995

Black Tuesday, clash between government forces and UNSO in connection with the burial of Volodymyr, the Patriarch of Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyivan Patriarchate^{[citation needed]}

1997–1999

Tax Code protests^{[citation needed]}
Reinstatement of UNA-UNSO^{[citation needed]}
25 March 1999: Death of Viacheslav Chornovil^{[citation needed]}

2000–2003

Ukraine without Kuchma (UbK)^{[citation needed]}
- Oleksandr Moroz revelation, Cassette scandal and Georgiy Gongadze disappearance^{[citation needed]}
- March 2001 UbK Unrest (Ukraine)^{[citation needed]}
- Establishment of National Salvation Committee (Ukraine) and involvement of the Ukrainian People's Self Defense (UNSO)^{[citation needed]}
- Arrest of Yulia Tymoshenko in connection with United Energy Systems of Ukraine (Criminal charges against Tymoshenko proved to be groundless in 2004)^{[citation needed]}
Siberia Airlines Flight 1812 accident^{[citation needed]}
Anti-Ukrainian sentiment incident (Bilozir Affair)^{[citation needed]}
Constitutional Court of Ukraine allowed Leonid Kuchma to run for presidency for the third time, recognized the institution of propiska (inscription) as unconstitutional (long after it was done in the Soviet Union and Russian Federation)^{[citation needed]}
Statement by the Prosecutor General of Ukraine office, and particularly Svyatoslav Piskun, about involvement of former Hromada members (Pavlo Lazarenko, Yulia Tymoshenko) in the assassination of Ukrainian businessman Yevhen Shcherban in 1996 and the former chairman of National Bank of Ukraine Vadym Hetman in 1998.^{[citation needed]}

2004–2005

This photo taken on November 6, 2006 in Feodosiya features protester's banners with pro-Russian and anti-NATO rhetoric. Banners proclaim the solidarity of Bakhchisaray, Kerch, Odesa, Kharkov (Kharkiv) with Feodosiyan protesters. Also: "The future of Ukraine is in the union with Russia", "Crimea and Russia: the strength lies in unity", "Russia - friend, NATO - enemy", "Shame to traitors". Banners are written in Russian language.

Orange Revolution in Ukraine^{[citation needed]}
- 2004 Ukrainian presidential election^{[citation needed]}
  - Detection and introduction of the carousel voting concept^{[citation needed]}
- Poisoning of Viktor Yushchenko^{[citation needed]}
Romania border dispute, Snake Island^{[citation needed]}
Declaration on establishing of the Southeastern Autonomous Republic and Novorossiysk Krai^{[citation needed]}

2005–2007

The Intensified dialogue between NATO and Government of Ukraine^{[citation needed]}
- 2006 anti-NATO protests in Feodosiya, Nataliya Vitrenko^{[citation needed]}
- Announcement of several Russian high-ranking officials persona non grata (Vladimir Zhirinovsky, Konstantin Zatulin) - deterioration of Russia–Ukraine relations^{[citation needed]}
Formation of parliamentary majority (2006 political crisis)^{[citation needed]}
2007 political crisis, 2007 Ukrainian parliamentary election^{[citation needed]}
- Dismissal of judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, General Prosecutor of Ukraine^{[citation needed]}
A hunting accident involving Yevhen Kushnaryov^[1]

2008–2010

Political caricature from Vidsich. Russian language to Ukrainian: "Hey girl, move a little! You're oppressing me!"

2008 South Ossetia war, pro-Georgian sentiments, and crash of Yushchenko^{[citation needed]}
Party switching in Ukraine, Reversal of amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine^{[citation needed]}
Kharkiv Accords^{[citation needed]}
2010 Ukrainian presidential election^{[citation needed]}
Anti-Tabachnyk campaign and student human chains against the Minister of Education Dmytro Tabachnyk^{[citation needed]}
- Vidsich^{[citation needed]}
Anti-Ukrainian sentiments set out in Odesa by members of pro-Russian party and local Antifa^{[citation needed]}
Status of national awards questioned (Hero of Ukraine, Shevchenko National Prize)^{[citation needed]}

2011–2012

Party of Regions 2012 election poster in Crimea stating "Russian: (upgrade it) from a regional language to the second official language"

Dictatorship Resistance Committee, prosecution of Yulia Tymoshenko, Yuri Lutsenko and others^{[citation needed]}
Legislation on languages in Ukraine^{[citation needed]}
2012 Ukrainian parliamentary election, mass protesting clashes^{[citation needed]}

Since 2013

References

^ Naboka, Marichka (9 March 2015). "Suicide Or Homicide? In Ukraine, Old-Guard Officials Dying Mysteriously". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved 22 August 2026.

External links

U.S. officials describe Ukraine as kleptocracy in Wikileaks cables.

[1] Naboka, Marichka (9 March 2015). "Suicide Or Homicide? In Ukraine, Old-Guard Officials Dying Mysteriously". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved 22 August 2026.

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