Yedin Oleksandr Yosypovych

Five-time chameleon MP

Oleksandr Yedin is one of the longest-serving members of the Verkhovna Rada, having survived five convocations, consistently changing from the NDP to "Labor Ukraine," BYuT, and twice the Party of Regions. From 1982 to 1985, he served as a translator in a military unit in Mozambique and received an Honorary Diploma from the Chief Military Adviser in the Republic of Mozambique. After the military service, he joined the Komsomol, and later entered big business in railway transit.

From Komsomol to railway billionaire

After returning from Mozambique, Yedin transitioned into large-scale commerce, becoming one of the first to appreciate Ukraine's transit potential. He earned significant money by forwarding railway cargo. The railway theme became a consistent thread in his parliamentary career: in every convocation, he chaired specialized transport subcommittees, which gave him direct influence over the sector where he had business interests.

Father-in-law — "Hero of Russia," Yedin — button presser

Yedin’s father-in-law is Zheleznyak, former Deputy Minister of Transport and a Hero of Russia. The family connection with a Russian state honoree, alongside Yedin’s membership in the Party of Regions, is a characteristic detail of his social circle. On June 5, 2012, a vote was cast from Yedin’s card in favor of a law enhancing the status of the Russian language—even though he was not present in the session hall that day. Overall, he was noted for absenteeism at meetings.

He has appeared in anti-corruption investigations related to tender fraud schemes.