Where Is Yanukovych Hiding Now?

Journalists have uncovered new details about the fugitive ex-president's life in Russia.

Journalists from "Toronto Television" have uncovered new details about the life of fugitive former President Viktor Yanukovych and his family in Russia. They published their investigation on YouTube on July 25.

The journalists speculate that Yanukovych may be using documents in Russia under the name Oleg Nikolaevich Leonov (Leonova is his mother’s maiden name, and the name Oleg is mentioned in records related to his bodyguards).

To determine his whereabouts, the investigators tracked his inner circle. They focused primarily on former employees of Ukraine’s State Security Service who fled the country with the ex-president in 2014.

“Fedorovich and his family are very concerned about his safety. He probably sees the faces of his bodyguards more often than his own ‘Gelik,’” says the journalist.

Two years ago, the State Bureau of Investigation (GBR) announced that 15 former members of the ex-president’s security detail were suspected of desertion. “Ukrainska Pravda” published a list of their names at the time.

According to journalists, most of the former Ukrainian bodyguards began working for Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) after Yanukovych fled. An analysis of their flight records showed that these individuals regularly accompanied members of Yanukovych’s inner circle, in particular, Yanukovych’s common-law wife Lyubov Polezhai (Sadikova) and her daughter Maria Sadikova.

By analyzing their itineraries and places of residence, journalists concluded that Yanukovych may be living in a secluded residence near Sochi, which they refer to as the new “Mezhyhirya.” According to their information, Polezhai also lives there.

The journalists noted that information about the so-called Sochi “Mezhyhirya” first emerged back in 2016. They are referring to the “Blagodat” estate in Sochi, which local residents have linked to former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.

According to the investigators, the estate covers about three hectares. Its grounds feature several residential buildings, greenhouses, a garden, a pond, gazebos, a chapel, and observation decks overlooking the sea and mountains. The main house, the authors note, is architecturally reminiscent of Yanukovych’s residence in Mezhyhirya.

The authors of the investigation also speculated that the ex-president’s former wife Lyudmila Yanukovych may have died. They claim to have found her Russian passport, issued under her maiden name Nastenko, as well as a phone number she used for her account on the “Gosuslugi” portal. According to the journalists, as of June 19, 2026, this number is listed in the Russian registry as belonging to a deceased person. At the same time, the authors note that they have not yet found any other confirmation of Lyudmila Yanukovych’s death.

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