Ukraine's first Prime Minister Vitold Fokin dies at 92

Vitold Fokin, Ukraine's first prime minister and former deputy head of the delegation to the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) on the war in Donbas, has died at the age of 92, his granddaughter Maria Fokina announced on Facebook on March 20.

Born on Oct. 25, 1932, in the village of Novomykolaivka, Donetsk Oblast, Fokin began his career working in coal mines, eventually rising to management positions in Ukraine's coal industry.

Following Ukraine's declaration of independence on Aug. 24, 1991, he became the country's first prime minister and served until Oct. 1, 1992.

Fokin played a key role in Ukraine's early years of independence. On Dec. 8, 1991, he was among the signatories of the Bialowieza Accords alongside President Leonid Kravchuk, an agreement that formally dissolved the Soviet Union and led to the creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

Following his resignation, Fokin became a researcher at the Institute of World Economy and International Relations and served as president of the International Foundation for Humanitarian and Economic Relations between Ukraine and Russia.

In August 2020, at the age of 87, Fokin was unexpectedly appointed the first deputy head of Ukraine's delegation to the TCG, the international negotiating body comprising Ukraine, Russia, and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

Fokin's appointment sparked a public backlash over several of his controversial statements, particularly regarding Russia's role in the war in Donbas.

Fokin claimed that Russia had been "forced" to annex Crimea to prevent an "American takeover" and denied that Ukraine was at war with Russia in Donbas, contradicting years of official Ukrainian policy and military realities on the ground.

His remarks were widely condemned by Ukrainian officials, with former Interior Minister Arsen Avakov calling for his resignation and Presidential Office Head Andriy Yermak urging his removal.

On Sept. 30, 2020, President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed Fokin from his post, citing the incompatibility of his views with Ukraine's official stance.