Vitol'd Fokin

Vitol'd Fokin was the first Prime Minister of independent Ukraine, serving from August 24, 1991, to October 1, 1992. Born in 1932, he had a prominent career in the coal industry and later held key governmental roles, including Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Ukrainian SSR. Fokin was a significant figure during the dissolution of the Soviet Union, having signed the Belavezha Accords, which led to the establishment of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). After resigning in 1992 due to a lack of confidence from the parliament, he remained relatively low-profile until his appointment as Deputy Representative of Ukraine in the Trilateral Contact Group in 2020, where he faced controversy for his remarks regarding Russia. He passed away at the age of 92, as announced by his granddaughter Maria.