ment: Prime Minister Pavlo LAZARENKO (since NA May
1996), First Deputy Prime Minister Vasyl DURDYNETS (since NA July
1996), and three deputy prime ministers
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and approved
by the Supreme Council
note: there is also a National Security and Defense Council or NSDC
originally created in 1992 as the National Security Council, but
significantly revamped and strengthened under President KUCHMA; the
NSDC includes the president, prime minister, ministers of defense,
internal affairs, foreign relations, and chairman of the security
service; the NSC staff is tasked with developing national security
policy on domestic and international matters and advising the
president; a Presidential Administration that helps draft presidential
edicts and provides policy support to the president; and a Council of
Regions that serves as an advisory body created by President KUCHMA in
September 1994 that includes the Kiev and Sevastopol City Supreme
Councils and the chairmen of Oblast
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 26 June and 10 July 1994 (next to be held NA 1999);
prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
and approved by the Supreme Council
election results: Leonid D. KUCHMA elected president; percent of vote
- Leonid KUCHMA 52.15%, Leonid KRAVCHUK 45.06%

Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme Council or Verkhovna Rada (450
seats; members are elected by popular vote from one-member districts
by complex procedures to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 27 March 1994 with repeat elections continuing
through December 1998 to fill empty seats (next to be held NA March
1998)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
Communists 91, Rukh 22, Agrarians 18, Socialists 15, Republicans 11,
Congress of Ukrainian Nationalists 5, Labor 5, Party of Democratic
Revival 4, Democrats 2, Social Democrats 2, Civil Congress 2,
Conservative Republicans 1, Party of Economic Revival of Crimea 1,
Christian Democrats 1, independents 225; note - most recent repeat
election held in April 1996 filling 422 of 450 seats as follows:
independents 238, Communist 95, Rukh 22, Agrarians 18, Socialist 15,
Republicans 11, Congress of Ukrainian Nationalists 5, Labor 5, Party
of Democratic Revival 4, Democratic Party of Ukraine 2, Social
Democrats 2, Civil Congress 2, Conservative Republicans 1, Party of
Economic R