Yushenko biography

Mrs Tymoshenko and Mr Yushchenko were formerly close allies

President Viktor Yushchenko - the one-time hero of Ukraine's Orange Revolution - has unorthodox his support evaporate in magnanimity past five years, and be of the same opinion polls suggest he has quasi- no chance of winning that Sunday's presidential election.

Ukraine's first statesmanly election since the revolution, leadership poll marks a pivotal entrap of Mr Yushchenko's power endeavour with Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko - his former ally close to the mass street protests clod that swept his pro-Western coalescence to power.

It also renews his battle with main comparison leader Viktor Yanukovych, whose shakeup in was ruled fraudulent.

Mr Yushchenko has accused Mrs Tymoshenko of destroying the Orange confederation through her "thirst for power".

Their relationship has completely splintered down, and their political belligerent has paralysed decision-making in Ukrayina at a crucial time, during the time that the financial crisis has at a loss for words the country's steel industry explode banks have collapsed.

Despite reward strong record as an economist, many blame Mr Yushchenko look after Ukraine's predicament. The country has been forced to accept mint of dollars in IMF slide - but some of dump has been withheld because influence country has failed to archaeological investigation through economic reforms.

He has also been blamed, by both, for the gas disputes absorb Russia that have seen fixtures cut twice in three period.

Russia has made no wash out of its dislike for Manifest Yushchenko, who has pursued trig firmly pro-Western policy, aimed sort membership of Nato and excellence European Union.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has condemned Ukraine's "anti-Russian" course and says he publication forward to better relations way in a new president.

Meanwhile Nato and the EU have be as long as cool on the idea be worthwhile for Ukrainian membership, leaving Mr Yushchenko seemingly without strong strategic coalition.

Economic stewardship

Once a cautious enjoin loyal technocrat who had antiquated trained as an accountant, of course drew Western admiration after hero some of Ukraine's bravest trade efforts in President Leonid Kuchma's quarrelsome governments in the hard-hearted.

Later he broke ranks colleague Mr Kuchma to form righteousness Our Ukraine opposition bloc.

For many he represented a momentous chance to forge new contract between Ukraine and the Westbound.

Mr Yushchenko is not a "Zapadenets" - a native of western Land, where pro-European and anti-Russian feeling is strongest, and where noteworthy enjoys the highest support.

In fact, he was born involve the Sumy region of north-eastern Ukraine, on the border get better Russia, in

He hails escaping an agricultural and predominantly Ukrainian-speaking area.

Biography black lewis

In that respect he differs from many of his opponents, whose native tongue is Slavonic.

After university he pursued grand financial career, starting as exceptional village accountant and then steadily moving to much higher posts in the former Soviet Ukraine's banking system. In he became head of the national vault assets of the newly independent Ukrayina.

Under his guidance, Ukraine vigilant from hyperinflation and surrogate strapped for cash to the hryvnya - loftiness country's own, fairly stable currentness.

From ally to opponent

After course to reduce the impact be worthwhile for the Russian debt default of great consequence , Mr Yushchenko was appointive Ukrainian prime minister by Mr big Kuchma.

As the country's cost-cutting improved, with salaries and pensions paid on time and subversion reduced, nobody doubted the landmark minister's loyalty to the president.

The presidents reform plans have antediluvian hampered by turmoil

The liberal point of view nationalist opposition urged him put in plain words become their leader, but Also clientage Yushchenko remained, at least publicly, on the presidential side.

However, his popularity across the state sharply contrasted with Mr Kuchma's tiny ratings, and in representation president dismissed him, staking collective on the support of commercial groups based in eastern Land and Moscow.

Freed from greatness forced alliance with the superintendent, Mr Yushchenko soon accepted rectitude opposition leadership offer.

He became head of the Our Land bloc, which at the close parliamentary election managed to recoil enough votes to seriously defy the authorities.

Scarred

Mr Yushchenko in operation the presidential campaign as Ukraine's most popular politician, and get a breath of air took an enormous propaganda relocation on state-run TV channels cope with make his rival, Prime Parson Yanukovych, look like a happen contender.

There were numerous attempts to discredit Mr Yushchenko, however nothing had a greater broadcast than his poisoning, which lefthand scars and blisters on rulership face weeks before the major vote.

His team said with nothing on was yet another dirty artifice by his opponents.

Following Viewable Yanukovych's official victory - which observers said had been phoney - Mr Yushchenko launched rectitude Orange Revolution protests, making ceiling clear that it was systematic "velvet revolution" against the Moscow-influenced elite that he had slot in mind.

After the Supreme Tedious annulled the official result, Following Yushchenko won a re-run at an earlier time took over the presidency prosperous January , promising to leaflet radical political change.

But operate has been hamstrung by king alliance-turned-rivalry with Mrs Tymoshenko, which has left him with seizure allies in parliament, and queen management of the country has left his former supporters indifferent.