Mykola Yanovych Azarov – Prime Minister of Ukraine (2010 – 2014), First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Ukraine (2006 – 2007, 2002 – 2005), Head of the State Tax Administration of Ukraine (1996 – 2002).
Place of Birth, Education
He was born on December 17, 1947 in Kaluga, Russian Federation (Russia).
In 1971, he completed his studies at Lomonosov Moscow State University with a degree in geologistics.
Career
After graduating from the university in 1971, he began working at the Tulavugol plant, where he worked until 1976. In the period from 1976 to 1984, he headed the laboratory and department at the Moscow Region Research and Design Coal Institute.
From 1984 to 1995, he held the positions of Deputy Director, and later Director of the Ukrainian State Research and Design Institute of Mining Geology, Geomechanics and Surveying.
In 1996-2002, he headed the State Tax Administration of Ukraine.
From November 2002 to February 2005, he served as First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Ukraine in the first government of Viktor Yanukovych, and also headed a number of government commissions and coordination councils.
After winning the parliamentary elections in the spring of 2006, he again became the chairman of the budget committee. On August 4 of the same year, he joined the Yanukovych government for the second time, taking the post of First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance.
In March 2010, he became Prime Minister of Ukraine.
After the elections to the Rada in 2012, Azarov’s candidacy for the post of head of government was approved again by people’s deputies.
Revolution of Dignity
On November 21, 2013, the government under the leadership of Azarov decided to suspend the process of preparation for the signing of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union (EU). This was the impetus for mass protests.
On January 16, 2014, he voted for a package of so-called “dictatorial laws” that significantly restricted civil liberties and freedom of speech.
On January 22, 2014, during the riots in the center of Kyiv, he called the protesters terrorists, saying that they should be held accountable for their actions.
On January 28, 2014, Azarov submitted a letter of resignation from the post of Prime Minister, and on the same day Yanukovych accepted it. On February 27, Arseniy Yatsenyuk became the new head of government.
A few hours after his resignation, Azarov flew to Vienna by private jet. In a prestigious area of the Austrian capital, there is a mansion registered in the name of his son, where the entire Azarov family lives.
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), in turn, put Azarov on the wanted list. At the same time, Interpol refused to put him on the international wanted list.
Later, he and his family settled in Russia.
In August 2015, together with other ex-officials who held high positions during the presidency of Yanukovych, he created the “Committee for the Salvation of Ukraine”.
On March 5, 2020, the EU lifted sanctions against Azarov and former Energy Minister Eduard Stavytskyi.
On October 20, 2021, the Pechersk District Court of Kyiv decided to arrest Azarov in absentia on suspicion of high treason.
Political Activities
In the period from 1994 to 1998, he held the post of People’s Deputy of Ukraine of the II convocation, headed the budget committee of the Verkhovna Rada.
From November 2007 to March 2010, he was a people’s deputy of the VI convocation from the Party of Regions. During this period, he headed the Ministry of Finance in the so-called shadow government, formed by the opposition under the leadership of Yanukovych.
Marital Status
Married. He has a son – Oleksiy, a businessman and former MP from the Party of Regions.
