Who is Viktor Yanukovych, Kremlin's pick for Ukraine President after war?

Viktor Yanukovych is reportedly being prepped by Russia for a special occasion, according to the local media.

Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, who fled to Russia in 2014, is being prepared by the Kremlin for a special occasion, The Kyiv Independent tweeted, citing a report by the Ukrayinska Pravda, an online newspaper.

The report, citing Ukrainian intelligence, said that according to one scenario, Russia will try to declare him as the "President of Ukraine".

The Kremlin may be preparing an informational operation or action for Yanukovych's return to Ukraine, it said.

WHO IS VIKTOR YANUKOVYCH?

Viktor Yanukovych was elected as the fourth president of Ukraine in 2010 and he remained in office until the Maidan Revolution. A string of violent clashes involving protesters, riot police, and shooters in Kyiv resulted in the overthrow of the Ukrainian government in February 2014 and Yanukovych's ouster from office. The protests, which began in November 2013, were a response to Yanukovych's refusal to sign a political and trade agreement with the European Union (EU).

Yanukovych then made his way to Russia, where he continues to live in exile under the protection of the Kremlin.

His proximity to the Kremlin, coupled with his previous tenure as a democratically elected President of Ukraine, makes him a viable candidate for Putin - who Western officials believe wants to overthrow the elected government in Kyiv and install a puppet government in its place. This is being viewed in the context of Russia's efforts to redraw the map of Europe and revive Moscow's Cold War-era influence.