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[[Leonid Kuchma]] (b. 1938) was elected as [[Ukraine]]'s second president in free and fair elections in 1994, defeating [[Leonid Kravchuk]]. Kuchma was reelected in November 1999 to another five-year term, with 56% of the vote. He left office in 2005. Despite numerous scandals he was credited with removing the Soviet era restrictions and sponsoring free trade, which led to high rates of economic growth. He downplayed conflicts with [[Russia]], especially regarding the status of 11 million Russians living in Ukraine. Kuchma, a rocket engineer was a technocrat in the aerospace industry before becoming prime minister in 1992-93.

'''Leonid Kuchma''' (born 1938) was elected as [[Ukraine]]'s second president in free and fair elections in 1994, defeating [[Leonid Kravchuk]]. Kuchma was reelected in November 1999 to another five-year term, with 56% of the vote. He left office in 2005. Despite numerous scandals he was credited with removing the Soviet era restrictions and sponsoring free trade, which led to high rates of economic growth. He downplayed conflicts with [[Russia]], especially regarding the status of 11 million Russians living in Ukraine. Kuchma, a rocket engineer was a technocrat in the aerospace industry before becoming prime minister in 1992-93.

His regime opened the way for the [[Orange Revolution]] in 2004, which has not been able to reform Ukraine politics.

His regime opened the way for the [[Orange Revolution]] in 2004, which has not been able to reform Ukraine politics.

==Further reading==

==Further reading==

* Kubicek, Paul. ''The History of Ukraine'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/History-Ukraine-Greenwood-Histories-Nations/dp/0313349207/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256898525&sr=8-7 excerpt and text search]

* Kubicek, Paul. ''The History of Ukraine'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/History-Ukraine-Greenwood-Histories-Nations/dp/0313349207/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256898525&sr=8-7 excerpt and text search]

* Way, Lucan. "Kuchma's Failed Authoritarianism," ''Journal of Democracy,'' Volume 16, Number 2, April 2005, pp. 131-145 in [[Project MUSE]]

* Way, Lucan. "Kuchma's Failed Authoritarianism," ''Journal of Democracy,'' Volume 16, Number 2, April 2005, pp. 131–145 in [[Project MUSE]]

* Wolczuk, Roman. ''Ukraine's Foreign and Security Policy 1991-2000'' (2002) [http://www.amazon.com/Ukraines-Foreign-Security-1991-2000-European/dp/0700717404/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256898525&sr=8-11 excerpt and text search]

* Wolczuk, Roman. ''Ukraine's Foreign and Security Policy 1991-2000'' (2002) [http://www.amazon.com/Ukraines-Foreign-Security-1991-2000-European/dp/0700717404/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256898525&sr=8-11 excerpt and text search]

[[category:Ukraine]]

[[Category:Ukraine]]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kuchma, Leonid}}

[[Category:Orthodox Christians]]

[[Category:Orthodox Christians]]