Levko Lukyanenko
Encyclopedia
Levko Lukyanenko; (sometimes written as Levko Lukianenko) is a Ukrainian
politician, and Soviet dissident
and Hero of Ukraine
.
, in the USSR. Following graduation from the Law Department of Moscow State University
and after serving in the Russian army, he worked in district party committees in Lviv Oblast
.
In 1959 in the time of the Khrushchev Thaw
, he organized a dissident movement called the Ukrainian Workers and Peasants Union; he defended the right of secession of Ukraine from the rest of Soviet Union, a right theoretically granted by the 1936 Soviet Constitution
. In 1961 he was arrested, tried, and was given the capital punishment, which was later commuted to 15 years in a prison camp. In 1976 he became a founding member of the Ukrainian Helsinki Group
. In 1977 he was arrested again and was sentenced to 10 years in a camp and 5 years of internal exile.
Lukyanenko was released in the wave of Gorbachev
's perestroika
, and was elected a member of Ukrainian parliament in 1990. He was the co-author of Declaration of State Sovereignty of Ukraine
and the author of Declaration of Independence of Ukraine
adopted in 1991.
Lukyanenko was awarded the title Hero of Ukraine
by President
Viktor Yushchenko
on April 19, 2005. Also in 2005, he participated in a conference entitled "Zionism As the Biggest Threat to Modern Civilization," which was controversial for its anti-Semitic tone and its invitation of former Grand Wizard
David Duke.
In 2006, Lukyanenko was a member of Ukrainian parliament, elected with the Bloc of Yulia Tymoshenko.
In 2006 and (after an interval) again in 2010 Lukyanenko was elected leader of the Ukrainian Republican Party
.
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
politician, and Soviet dissident
Dissident
A dissident, broadly defined, is a person who actively challenges an established doctrine, policy, or institution. When dissidents unite for a common cause they often effect a dissident movement....
and Hero of Ukraine
Hero of Ukraine
Hero of Ukraine is the highest state decoration that can be conferred upon an individual citizen by the Government of Ukraine. The title was created in 1998 by President Leonid Kuchma and as of August 25 2011 the total number of awards is 265. The award is divided into two classes of distinction:...
.
Biography
Lukyanenko was born on 24 August 1928 in the Khrypivka village of Chernihiv OblastChernihiv Oblast
Chernihiv Oblast is an oblast of northern Ukraine. The administrative center of the oblast is the city of Chernihiv.-Geography:The total area of the province is around 31,900 km²....
, in the USSR. Following graduation from the Law Department of Moscow State University
Moscow State University
Lomonosov Moscow State University , previously known as Lomonosov University or MSU , is the largest university in Russia. Founded in 1755, it also claims to be one of the oldest university in Russia and to have the tallest educational building in the world. Its current rector is Viktor Sadovnichiy...
and after serving in the Russian army, he worked in district party committees in Lviv Oblast
Lviv Oblast
Lviv Oblast is an oblast in western Ukraine. The administrative center of the oblast is the city of Lviv.-History:The oblast was created as part of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic on December 4, 1939...
.
In 1959 in the time of the Khrushchev Thaw
Khrushchev Thaw
The Khrushchev Thaw refers to the period from the mid 1950s to the early 1960s, when repression and censorship in the Soviet Union were partially reversed and millions of Soviet political prisoners were released from Gulag labor camps, due to Nikita Khrushchev's policies of de-Stalinization and...
, he organized a dissident movement called the Ukrainian Workers and Peasants Union; he defended the right of secession of Ukraine from the rest of Soviet Union, a right theoretically granted by the 1936 Soviet Constitution
1936 Soviet Constitution
The 1936 Soviet constitution, adopted on December 5, 1936, and also known as the "Stalin" constitution, redesigned the government of the Soviet Union.- Basic provisions :...
. In 1961 he was arrested, tried, and was given the capital punishment, which was later commuted to 15 years in a prison camp. In 1976 he became a founding member of the Ukrainian Helsinki Group
Ukrainian Helsinki Group
The Ukrainian Helsinki Group was founded in November 1976 to monitor human rights in Ukraine. The group was active until 1981 when all members were jailed....
. In 1977 he was arrested again and was sentenced to 10 years in a camp and 5 years of internal exile.
Lukyanenko was released in the wave of Gorbachev
Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev is a former Soviet statesman, having served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991, and as the last head of state of the USSR, having served from 1988 until its dissolution in 1991...
's perestroika
Perestroika
Perestroika was a political movement within the Communist Party of the Soviet Union during 1980s, widely associated with the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev...
, and was elected a member of Ukrainian parliament in 1990. He was the co-author of Declaration of State Sovereignty of Ukraine
Declaration of State Sovereignty of Ukraine
The Declaration of State Sovereignty of Ukraine was adopted on July 16, 1990 by the recently elected parliament of Ukrainian SSR.The Declaration established the principles of Self-Determination of the Ukrainian Nation, Rule of the People, State Power, Citizenship of the Ukrainian SSR, Territorial...
and the author of Declaration of Independence of Ukraine
Declaration of Independence of Ukraine
The Act of Declaration of Independence of Ukraine was adopted by the Ukrainian parliament on August 24, 1991. The Act established Ukraine as an independent, democratic state....
adopted in 1991.
Lukyanenko was awarded the title Hero of Ukraine
Hero of Ukraine
Hero of Ukraine is the highest state decoration that can be conferred upon an individual citizen by the Government of Ukraine. The title was created in 1998 by President Leonid Kuchma and as of August 25 2011 the total number of awards is 265. The award is divided into two classes of distinction:...
by President
President of Ukraine
Prior to the formation of the modern Ukrainian presidency, the previous Ukrainian head of state office was officially established in exile by Andriy Livytskyi. At first the de facto leader of nation was the president of the Central Rada at early years of the Ukrainian People's Republic, while the...
Viktor Yushchenko
Viktor Yushchenko
Viktor Andriyovych Yushchenko is a former President of Ukraine. He took office on January 23, 2005, following a period of popular unrest known as the Orange Revolution...
on April 19, 2005. Also in 2005, he participated in a conference entitled "Zionism As the Biggest Threat to Modern Civilization," which was controversial for its anti-Semitic tone and its invitation of former Grand Wizard
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
David Duke.
In 2006, Lukyanenko was a member of Ukrainian parliament, elected with the Bloc of Yulia Tymoshenko.
In 2006 and (after an interval) again in 2010 Lukyanenko was elected leader of the Ukrainian Republican Party
Ukrainian Republican Party (registered in 2006)
The Ukrainian Republican Party is a political party in Ukraine registered in December 2006 as Ukrainian Republican Party Lukyanenko . The party is led by political veteran Levko Lukyanenko. The party did not participate in the 2007 parliamentary election....
.