The modern Ukrainian presidency was formed when the Verkhovna Rada of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic passed a law on 5 July 1991 establishing the office of the "President of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic."[1] Upon the proclamation of Ukrainian independence from the Soviet Union on 24 August 1991, the title was changed to the "President of Ukraine." The first election of the President of Ukraine, which was held on 1 December 1991, was won by Leonid Kravchuk.
All the presidents except for Volodymyr Zelensky have been people's deputies of the Verkhovna Rada prior to their election. Kravchuk was the first president to resign from the office, following a power struggle with Prime Minister Leonid Kuchma. After the 2014 Ukrainian revolution, Viktor Yanukovych abandoned his office and fled the country. He was subsequently impeached, and replaced by Oleksandr Turchynov as the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, who serves as acting president when the office is vacant. Early presidential elections were held on 25 May 2014 and won by Petro Poroshenko; Poroshenko was inaugurated as the fifth president on 7 June 2014. On 18 June 2015, Yanukovych was officially deprived of the title of President of Ukraine.[2] After defeating Poroshenko, the comedian Volodymyr Zelensky was inaugurated as the sixth and current president of Ukraine on 20 May 2019.
| # | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Time as Champion | Championships | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Official World Champions (1886-1946) | ||||||
| 1 |  | Wilhelm Steinitz[3] (1836-1900) | 29 March 1886[a] | 26 May 1894 | 1886 | Austria-Hungary |
| 02 3298 years, 1 month, 28 days | 1889 | |||||
| 1891 | ||||||
| 1892 | ||||||
| 2 |  | Emanuel Lasker (1868-1941) | 26 May 1894 | 28 April 1921 | 1894 | German Empire |
| 02 32926 years, 11 months, 4 days | 1897 | |||||
| 1907 | ||||||
| 1908 | ||||||
| 1910 (1) | ||||||
| 1910 (2) | ||||||
| 3 |  | José Raúl Capablanca (1888-1942) | 28 April 1921 | 29 November 1927 | 1921 | Cuba |
| 02 3296 years, 7 months, 2 days | ||||||
| 4 |  | Alexander Alekhine (1892-1946) | 29 November 1927 | 16 December 1935 | 1927 | France |
| 02 3298 years, 18 days | 1929 | |||||
| 1934 | ||||||
| 5 |  | Max Euwe (1901-1981) | 16 December 1935 | 4 December 1937 | 1935 | Netherlands |
| 02 3291 year, 11 months, 19 days | ||||||
| 4* | | Alexander Alekhine (1892-1946) | 4 December 1937 | 24 March 1946 | 1937 | France |
| 02 329 8 years, 3 months, 21 days | ||||||
| FIDE World Champions (1948-Present) | ||||||
| 6 |  | Mikhail Botvinnik (1911-1995) | 18 May 1948 | 27 April 1957 | 1948 | Soviet Union |
| 02 329 8 years, 11 months, 10 days | 1951 | |||||
| 1954 | ||||||
| 7 |  | Vasily Smyslov (1921-2010) | 27 April 1957 | 9 May 1958 | 1957 | Soviet Union |
| 02 3291 year, 13 days | ||||||
| 6* | | Mikhail Botvinnik (1911-1995) | 9 May 1958 | 7 May 1960 | 1958 | Soviet Union |
| 02 329 2 years, 29 days | ||||||
a.^ Although Leonid Kravchuk's official inauguration ceremony was conducted on 22 August 1992, he carried out most of the presidential responsibilities temporarily ceded to him as Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada from 24 August 1991[4] until 5 December 1991 when he became President of Ukraine in his own right. He had served as Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian SSR since 23 July 1990.
b.^ As President of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.
c.^ "In the event of the pre-term termination of authority of the President of Ukraine in accordance with Articles 108, 109, 110 and 111 of this Constitution, the execution of duties of the President of Ukraine, for the period pending the elections and the assumption of office of the new President of Ukraine, shall be vested in the Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine." —Constitution of Ukraine, Article 112.
| History | | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inauguration | |||||||
| Residences | |||||||
| Administration and supporting agencies |
| ||||||
(*) approved by parliament | |||||||
*ListUkrainianPresidentsCategory:National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine