Witold Fokin/Photo: open source
On 20 March, the first Prime Minister of Ukraine, Vitold Fokin, passed away at the age of 92.His granddaughter, Maria Fokina, announced this on Facebook, postinga short message with the words “Grandpa” and a broken-hearted emoji.
Fokin was one of the key figures in the history of Ukraine’s independence. He headed the government from 24 November 1991 to 1 October 1992, and before that, from October 1990, he served as Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Ukrainian SSR.
The man who stood at the origins of independent Ukraine
His name is associated with the Belovezhskaya Accords, which officially ended the existence of the USSR, and with the introduction of coupons, the first “currency” of independent Ukraine. Fokin led the country during a difficult period when it was necessary to build a new economic system and abandon the Soviet centralised management model.
Scandalous return to politics
In August 2020, Fokin unexpectedly returned to the political discourse, becoming the first deputy head of the Ukrainian delegation to the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) on Donbas. However, his statements about doubting that there was a war between Ukraine and Russia caused a public outcry.
After that, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed him from the Ukrainian delegation.
He died at a difficult time for the country, leaving behind a mixed political legacy. For some, he will remain the prime minister who helped secure independence, while for others he will be a man whose late statements provoked controversy. But his role in Ukraine’s modern history is undeniably significant.
