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Former Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych’s misrule, the popular reaction against it, and the manner of his downfall disrupted the very foundations of Ukraine’s still nascent and defective state. While in office, Yanukovych’s greed for power and wealth proved devastating to both him and his country. In order to grasp the reasons for the destructive effect of Yanukovych’s presidency, one needs to look at the way in which he reconfigured Ukraine’s political regime and the strategies that he adopted to maintain power.