Mykola Azarov

Mykola Azarov was born on 17 December 1947 in Kaluga, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union, to a father of half-Russian and half-Estonian descent and a Russian mother. He adopted his wife's surname upon marriage. Azarov attended Moscow State University, where he earned a doctorate in geology and mineralogy in 1973. He worked at the Tulaugol coal enterprise until 1976 and moved to Donetsk in 1984, where he became deputy director of the Ukrainian State Geological Institute.

Azarov began his political career in 1994 when he was elected to the Verkhovna Rada, representing the Petroskiy electoral district in Donetsk. He served as head of the parliament's Committee on Budgets from 1995 to 1997 and was involved in supporting then-President Leonid Kuchma. He was appointed Chairman of the State Tax Administration of Ukraine in 1996, a position he held until 2002, during which time he faced allegations of using his role to influence political outcomes.

In 2002, Azarov became First Vice Prime Minister and Finance Minister, implementing economic reforms that contributed to significant GDP growth in Ukraine. He served as acting prime minister during political transitions in 2004 and later became a prominent figure in the Party of Regions.

Following Viktor Yanukovych's election as President of Ukraine, Azarov was appointed Prime Minister on 11 March 2010, with 242 votes in favor from the Verkhovna Rada. He was re-elected to parliament in the 2012 elections and continued to serve as Prime Minister until his resignation on 28 January 2014 amid the Euromaidan protests. His resignation was aimed at facilitating a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

After resigning, Azarov fled to Russia and claimed to have been offered political refugee status by Vladimir Putin. He has since been on the international wanted list for alleged abuse of power and is subject to sanctions from multiple countries.

In August 2015, Azarov announced the formation of the Ukraine Salvation Committee, a government in exile that sought to unify various political factions to restore order in Ukraine. He has been involved in controversial activities and statements regarding Ukraine's political landscape since his departure.

Azarov's command of the Ukrainian language has been criticized, and he has been labeled the most Russophile member of his cabinet. His comments on gender roles in government and corruption have sparked backlash and legal actions from women's rights groups in Ukraine. He has expressed views on historical events that have been contentious in the context of Ukrainian national identity.