Tabachnyk Dmytro Volodymyrovych

Ukrainophobe minister during Yanukovych's era, convicted for treason, a collaborator who fled to Russia

Historian (born 1963, Kyiv), Doctor of Historical Sciences; under Kuchma — head of the Presidential Administration, later Deputy Prime Minister in Yanukovych's governments, MP from the Party of Regions. Minister of Education and Science (2010–2014) in Azarov's governments — one of the most notorious: advocated bilingualism and the "superiority" of Russian culture, curtailed the study of Ukrainian history, lobbied for the abolition of Ukrainian dubbing. Mass protests demanded his dismissal ("Tabachnyk, get out!"). In February 2014, he fled Ukraine following Yanukovych.

Wanted, sanctions, loss of citizenship

Since 2015 — wanted by the SBU for embezzlement of state funds (Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine); was under EU sanctions (lifted in 2021), under NSDC sanctions (10 years) and Canadian sanctions. In 2023, Zelensky deprived him of Ukrainian citizenship.

Treason and collaborationism

In November 2022, the SBU announced suspicion of treason (Article 111): according to the investigation, he assisted the Gauleiters Saldo and Balitsky and acted as a representative of Russian state authorities. According to the SBU, he maintained contacts with a career FSB officer and was involved in fake referendums. He conducts business in occupied Crimea, became an "advisor" to the occupier Balitsky, and ran for the occupation "parliaments." In 2024, he was convicted in absentia; the High Anti-Corruption Court confiscated property, assets (over $2 million) were seized.