Sviatoslav Andriiovych Yurash (Ukrainian: Святосла́в Андрі́йович Юра́ш, IPA: [sʲʋʲɐtɔsˈɫau̯ ɐnˈdʲrʲijowɪt͡ʃ jʊˈraʃ]; born 16 February 1996) is a Ukrainian politician who represents the Servant of the People party in the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine's parliament),[1] to which he was elected in 2019.[2] As of 2022, Yurash is the youngest Ukrainian MP. He was previously the Euromaidan press centre organiser[1] and senior spokesperson for Volodymyr Zelenskyy's successful 2019 presidential election campaign.[2] Yurash co-founded the cross-party conservative grouping Values. Dignity. Family. in the Ukrainian parliament.[3][4]

Sviatoslav Yurash
Святослав Юраш
People's Deputy of Ukraine
Assumed office
29 August 2019
ConstituencyServant of the People, No. 27
Personal details
Born (1996-02-16) 16 February 1996 (age 28)
Lviv, Ukraine
Political partyServant of the People

Biography edit

Sviatoslav Yurash was born in Lviv, Ukraine, on 16 February 1996.[5] He studied international relations in Poland and was studying in Kolkata when the Euromaidan protests broke out and he returned to Ukraine.[6][7]

On the occasion of International Women's Day in March 2021, Yurash argued that Ukrainian ratification of the Istanbul Convention would not help reduce domestic violence in the country, commenting that it was "a document that introduces a whole galaxy of terms that create a niche for postmodern superstructures in the legislation. The convention is a Trojan Horse that does not help with domestic violence". He instead argued: "Let's talk about domestic violence, about the police who do not come on calls, about alcoholism".[8] Yurash and fellow Values. Dignity. Family. co-founder Oleh Voloshyn, of the Opposition Platform — For Life party, had previously met Brian S. Brown of the US Christian right organisation World Congress of Families, on the latter's visit to Ukraine.[4] When the group was founded, Yurash confirmed that it would oppose any introduction of same-sex marriages and LGBTQ adoption rights in Ukraine.[9] According to the head of Ukraine's LGBT Military Equal Rights Association, citing an investigation by Bellingcat, "American conservatives are investing in movements such as 'Love against homosexuality' and members of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament. These representatives include Sviatoslav Yurash, who created a parliamentary group called "Values. Dignity. Family" that even took part in the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington DC".[10]

During the early days of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, along with other People's Deputies, he was photographed patrolling the streets of Kyiv armed with a Kalashnikov.[11] In March 2022, Yurash's former girlfriend, Oleksandra Kuvshynova, was killed when the car that she was in was hit by Russian shelling.[12][13] Yurash has subsequently worked with the Ukrainian Foreign Legion, helping to co-ordinate foreign fighters and to deliver supplies to frontline cities, towns and villages.[14]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Sviatoslav Yurash, MP, Servant of the People faction". Ukrinform. 3 September 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  2. ^ a b Coalson, Robert; Wesolowsky, Tony (22 July 2019). "No Experience? No Problem: A Look At Some Of The New Faces In Ukraine's Parliament". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  3. ^ Talant, Bermet (18 January 2020). "Ukrainian lawmakers form 300-strong conservative pro-family, pro-life group". Kyiv Post. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  4. ^ a b Kozak, Tetiana (18 March 2020). "With help from American activists, Ukrainian women are being misled about abortion". openDemocracy. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  5. ^ "Юраш Святослав Андрійович". LB.ua. 30 April 2021. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  6. ^ Waldie, Paul (27 January 2014). "Meet the 17 year old who gets Ukraine's protest message out to the world". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  7. ^ Roy, Shubhajit (13 March 2023). "Ukraine's youngest MP on Kolkata life, and the war that shaped him". The Indian Express. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  8. ^ Tymotsko, Roman (11 March 2011). "Thousands march in Ukraine for gender equality on International Women's Day". The Ukrainian Weekly. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  9. ^ Globa, Bogdan (9 November 2020). "LGBTQ rights in Ukraine and the false dawn of Zelenskyy". Atlantic Council. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  10. ^ Mazurenko, Vitalii; Pylypenko, Viktor (2022). "The LGBTQ+ community, just like the army, is a part of society". New Eastern Europe (1-02 (50)): 127–133.
  11. ^ MacDiarmid, Campbell (26 February 2022). "The tracksuit resistance: Ukrainian civilians grab their AK-47s and take on advancing Russian army". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  12. ^ "Ukraine's youngest ever MP talks about girlfriend killed in war". RTÉ. 22 April 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  13. ^ Wright, Rebecca; Konovalova, Olha (22 March 2022). "'She loved every day of her life.' Family and friends pay tribute to Ukrainian journalist killed in Kyiv". CNN. Retrieved 19 June 2023. One of her close friends, Ukrainian lawmaker Sviatoslav Yurash, saw Sasha just days before her death at the apartment of another friend, where they chatted and ate the traditional soup, Borscht. He said they first met 10 years ago, at an English language camp, and later dated before becoming friends.
  14. ^ Beecher, Jay (28 December 2022). ""Our Nation Wants to Choose its Own Future" – People's Deputy Sviatoslav Yurash". Kyiv Post. Retrieved 19 June 2023.