Kuchma – 88: landmark decisions, loud scandals, and quotes of Ukraine’s second president

Today Ukraine’s second president, Leonid Kuchma, is celebrating his birthday. He turns 88 years old. On the ex-president’s birthday, Glavkom offers to recall his biography, the most striking quotes, landmark deeds, and mistakes made while serving as the head of state, as recounted by his allies.

What Kuchma was like in his youth

Leonid Kuchma earned a degree as an engineer-mechanic in the field of rocket technology at the physics–technical faculty of Dnipro University. This happened in 1960 year.

In 1961 year he met and married the adopted daughter of the chief technologist of the South Machine-Building Plant, Lyudmila Tumana. This helped him build a career at Pivdenmash. They had a daughter, Olena Pinchuk, in 1970 year. She was the founder of the Anti-Sobriety Foundation and the chair of the supervisory board of the StarLightMedia group, which includes the STB, ICTV, Novyi Kanal, QTV, M1, M2 channels.

photo: universemagazine

In 1960–1982 years Kuchma worked as an engineer, designer, and assistant chief designer at Baikonur in Kazakhstan.

He was also secretary of the party committee of the Communist Party at the Design Bureau “Pivdenne,” and secretary of the party committee of the Production Association “Pivdenmash.”

In 1982 year Kuchma was appointed first deputy chief designer of the bureau, and from 1986 to 1992 – general director.

What Kuchma is remembered for by Ukrainians as president

Kuchma is the only president of Ukraine to have served two terms. He was also the country’s second prime minister in 1992–1993 years.

Inauguration of Leonid Kuchma, 1994 year

Inauguration of Leonid Kuchma, 1994 year

During his presidency, from 1994 to 2004, many events occurred that Ukrainians remember. In 1995 year, privatization via certificates was launched in Ukraine, giving every citizen the opportunity to become a proprietor of former state enterprises.

photo from open sources

In 1999 year the leader of the Nazor movement Ukraine, Vyacheslav Chornovil, died in a car accident; he was considered a potential presidential candidate.

In 2000 years the “cassette scandal” erupted over the murder of journalist Georgiy Gongadze. Recordings allegedly from the president’s office were published, indicating the need to punish the journalist. As information about possible involvement by Kuchma surfaced, mass protests erupted. Ukrainians demanded the president’s resignation, and the Verkhovna Rada sought to express a vote of no confidence.

Also during Kuchma’s presidency there was a crisis in relations with Russia. This happened in 2003 year when the Russian Federation began constructing a dam to the Ukrainian island Tuzla. Experts say this was the greatest crisis of Russian-Ukrainian relations at the time.

Moreover, during his presidency Ukraine renounced nuclear weapons in exchange for security assurances, notably from Russia.

After Russia captured parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, Kuchma was appointed head of the contact group for resolving the Donbass situation in 2015–2018 and in 2019–2020 years.

Kuchma’s mistakes

Well-known Ukrainian politicians of that era told Glavkom that Kuchma’s biggest mistakes were the creation of oligarchy in Ukraine and questionable personnel decisions in the government.

Political technologist Vitaliy Chepinoha recalled that he chose as his successor ex-president‑in‑exile Viktor Yanukovych.

“I told him, ‘Leonid Danilovich, why did you choose that fool Yanukovych as your successor?’ And he said those were the circumstances, that Russia insisted on it, that the Kremlin wanted it… From today’s perspective, it’s a crime. But back then there were other circumstances, and he probably moved in that direction. There were gas deals, some understandings, economic ties, traditions, myths about fraternal peoples,’” Vitaliy Chepinoha said.

Also the press secretary of the second president, Mykhailo Doroshenko, considered Kuchma’s appointment of Viktor Medvedchuk and Dmytro Tabachnyk as chiefs of the president’s administration a mistake.

Diplomat Roman Bezsmerdnyi explained that the question of Medvedchuk’s and Yanukovych’s appearances in Ukrainian politics is not only Kuchma’s actions. “As for Medvedchuk, I still remember the period when the team that Medvedchuk was part of worked with Leonid Kravchuk. Then it somehow ended up near Leonid Kuchma. And that’s because not always the head of state can make decisive decisions. There are situations where those decisive decisions are simply impossible,” Bezsmertnyi said, adding that Medvedchuk was a mistake of Kuchma.

Regarding creating oligarchy in Ukraine, Ukrainian politician Mykhailo Pozhyvanov also recalled Kuchma’s fact that he handed over the entire pipe industry to his son-in-law Viktor Pinchuk. At that time the metallurgical industry passed to Rinat Akhmetov, and the chemical industry to Dmytro Firtash.

Kuchma’s quotes about Ukraine, the presidency, and Putin

“When I 1994 year came, our treasury had only mice running in it.”

“If I hadn’t kept them by the scruff of their necks, they would have torn the country apart….”

“Almost all figures from both sides came into politics in my decade. But that doesn’t mean that I am the godfather of all of them.”

“So you ask yourself: whom did you, Leonid Danilovich, let into your city?”

“Losing territory is the worst thing that can happen to a state.”

“Ukraine is not Russia.”

“First of all – you should not count on Putin’s imminent death.”

“For independence you must always be prepared to pay. When necessary – with blood. In calmer times – with money, if there is no political wisdom and economic calculation.”

“The Leninist or Stalinist slogan has come back: that a cook can govern the state. Here, unfortunately, in many levels of power we have ‘cooks.’”

“Putin wanted to destroy the Ukrainian state, but he will get our second birth.”

Kuchma and Putin

photo from open sources

What Kuchma does during the war

With the start of the large-scale invasion, Kuchma and his wife remained at their home in Kyiv. He released a new version of the book “Ukraine Is Not Russia” — a book titled “Ukraine Is Not Russia. Twenty Years Later.”

In an interview with The Guardian, he said that 24 February 2022 year, on the day of the Russian invasion, he and his wife Lyudmila were in central Kyiv and did not believe Putin would really dare to strike the Ukrainian capital. “I was sure Putin was capable of invading, but not sure he would decide to do it,” Kuchma said.

Iryna Vereshchuk accompanied Leonid Kuchma during the YES conference

photo: glavcom.ua

In 2024 year Kuchma gave a long interview to the information agency “Kyodo Tsushin” (Japan), describing events of 2014 year. He stated that Ukraine then had to show strength and willingness to resist. He also approved the actions of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Kuchma said that Ukraine’s leader has experience unmatched by almost any of his colleague-presidents. “If Volodymyr Oleksandrovych needs my advice, he will turn to me personally. Fortunately, we have that possibility. But today I would simply advise him to do what he does with greater confidence,” he said.

Kuchma and Zelensky

photo: Office of the President of Ukraine

Kuchma also commented on attempts by other countries to push Ukraine toward negotiations with Russia. Kuchma called Putin a megalomaniac who will not stop. He recalled how in 1938 year appeasement of Adolf Hitler occurred, and he “swallowed Czechoslovakia, then Poland, Denmark, Norway, the Benelux, France, and began bombing Britain.”

“That was Hitler’s nature – he did not stop until opposed by force, with catastrophic human casualties. The same nature of Putin. So my advice to the West: do not become Chamberlain. Think a hundred times before choosing dishonor,” he said. He emphasized that negotiations with the Russian dictator are not needed to end the war. He believes Moscow’s ambitions are to seize all of Ukraine. According to him, the first signs of Moscow’s revisionist ambitions appeared in 2003 year.

Kuchma also said that the self-proclaimed president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, is not an independent player on the political stage, as he depends not only on Vladimir Putin but also on Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

According to Kuchma, after the war, economic contacts with Russia for Ukraine are not only possible but absolutely necessary to obtain reparations. He noted that Russia must go through a process of de-imperialization.

In his view, Ukraine could have avoided the war in two diametrically opposite ways: either strengthen its defense to deter Russia from attacking, or surrender without a fight.

It is noted that now Kuchma almost does not appear in public life and does not talk about his personal life. In the summer 2026 year the ex-president declined the Polish Order of the White Eagle. He made this decision after President of Poland Karol Nawrocki stripped President Zelensky of the award.

Recall that in one interview in 2023 year he said that the US would lose face before the world if it leaves Ukraine without help.