List of leaders of Ukraine

The Rurikids were descendants of Rurik (Ukrainian: Рюрик) (Hrørekr), a Varangian pagan konung or chieftain, who according to the Primary Chronicle was invited to rule Novgorod in 862 and who came to become the ruler of the Northern Slavic tribes of the (Krivchians and Slovene) as well as the Finnish tribes (Meria, Chud and Ves). Later his son or grandson, Prince Ihor, became the Prince of separate Kyivan territories to the south beginning the rule of the Riurykide dynasty of Kyivan Rus. The existence of Rurik is a point of contention for historians, P. Kovaletsky and Omeljan Pritsak believe that Rurik was the same person as Hroereckr (Rorik), the 9th century Norse king of Jutland and Frisia and that pervasive myths and legends about him formed the basis for the primary chroniclers. Alternatively, Alexsei Shakmatov accepts the Primary Chronicle's account as factual and Rurik is a historic being.[3]

(Note: Here the numbering of the princes is the same for all principalities, as all were titled Princes of Rus', despite of the different parts of land and its particular numbering of the rulers. The princes are numbered by the year of their (first) succession.)

Name	Portrait	Born	Reign	Part	Marriage (s)	Death	Notes
Rurik I (Рюрик) Old Norse: Rørik		Unknown	862–879	Kievan Rus' (in Novgorod)	Unknown at least one son	879	Ruled as Prince of Novgorod. Founder of the family.
Oleg the Seer (Олег Віщий) Old Norse: Helgi[4]		Unknown	879–912	Kievan Rus'	Unknown	912	Varangian kniaz of Holmgård (Novgorod) and Kønugård (Kiev). His relationship with the family is unknown. He was probably a regent, in name of Igor, son of Rurik. Oleg extended his rule over the Derevlianians, Siverianians, Radmichians and Polianians. Began campaigns against the Khazars. Proclaimed himself Prince.
Igor I the Old Igor Rurikovich (Ігор Старий[5]) Old Norse: Ingvar Röreksson		c.878 Son of Rurik	912–945	Kyivan Rus'	901 or 902 at least one son	945 Iskorosten aged 66–67
Saint Olga of Kiev (Saint Olga) (Свята Ольга) Old Norse: Helga		c.890 Pskov	945–962	Kyivan Rus'		11 July 969 Kiev aged 78–79	Regent on behalf of her minor son, she was baptized by Emperor Constantine VII but failed to bring Christianity to Kiev.
Sviatoslav I the Brave Sviatoslav Igorevich (Святосла́в Хоро́брий) Old Norse: Sveinald Ingvarsson[6]		c.942 possibly Kiev Son of Igor I the Old and Saint Olga of Kiev	962–972	Kyivan Rus'	Predslava c.954 two sons Malusha/Malfrida[7][8] c.958 at least one son	March 972 Khortytsia aged 29–30	The first true ruler of Rus' who destroyed the Khazar Khaganate and united all of the Rus' principalities under the Kiev throne.
Yaropolk I Yaropolk Sviatoslavich (Яропо́лк Святосла́вич) Old Norse: Iaropolk Sveinaldsson		c.950 Son of Sviatoslav I the Brave and Predslava	972–980	Kievan Rus'	A Greek nun at least one son	980 Fort of Roden, near Kaniv aged 29–30	Supposedly was baptised into Catholicism, and then was murdered by two Varangians.
Vladimir I the Great Vladimir Basil Sviatoslavich (Володимир Великий/Володимѣръ Свѧтославичь) Old Norse: Valdamarr Sveinaldsson		c.958 Budiatychi Son of Sviatoslav I the Brave and Malusha/Malfrida	980–1015	Kievan Rus'	Olava/Allogia c.977 at least one son A Greek nun (widow of his brother) c.980 at least one son Rogneda of Polotsk c.978 (possibly in bigamy) eight children Adela (of Bulgaria?) at least two children (maximum four) Malfrida (of Bohemia?) Before 1000 two children Anna Porphyrogenita of Byzantium 988 Cherson three children Regelindis (?) of Saxony (granddaughter of Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor) After 1011 one or two daughters Unknown two children	15 July 1015 Berestove(now part Kyiv) aged 57–58	His early rule is characterized by a staunch pagan reaction but in 988 he was baptized into Orthodoxy and successfully converted Kievan Rus' to Christianity.
Sviatopolk I the Accursed Sviatopolk Yaropolkovich (Святополк Окаянний) Old Norse: Sveinpolk Iaropolksson		c.980 Son of Sviatoslav I the Brave and Predslava	1015–1019	Kievan Rus'	Unknown name (daughter of Bolesław I of Poland) no children	1019 aged 38–39
Yaroslav I the Wise Yaroslav George Vladimirovich (Яросла́в Му́дрий) Old Norse: Jarizleifr Valdamarrsson[9]		c.978 Son of Vladimir I the Great and Rogneda of Polotsk	1019–1054	Kievan Rus'	Ingigerda of Sweden 1019 Novgorod eight or nine children	20 February 1054 Vyshhorod aged 75–76	Prince of Rostov, Prince of Novgorod, and Grand Prince of Kiev; during his reign Kievan Rus' reached the pinnacle of its power.
Iziaslav I Iziaslav Demetrius Yaroslavich (Ізяслав Ярославич) Old Norse: Izjasleifr(?) Jarizleifsson		c.1024 Son of Yaroslav I the Wise and Ingigerda of Sweden	1054–1068 1069–1073 1076–1078	Kievan Rus'	Gertrude of Poland 1043 three children	3 October 1078 Nizhyn aged 53–54	Reigned three times, threatened by the power of his relatives Vseslav of Polotsk (1068–69) and Sviatoslav II of Kiev (1073–76). First King of Rus', Pope Gregory VII sent him a crown from Rome in 1075.
Vseslav I the Seer Vseslav Basil Bryacheslavich (Всеслав Брячиславич)		c.1039 Polotsk Son of Bryachislav of Polotsk	1068–1069	Kievan Rus'	Unknown six sons	24 April 1101 Polotsk aged 61–62	A brief ruler during Iziaslav's official reign. Also Prince of Polotsk.
Sviatoslav II Sviatoslav Nicholas Yaroslavich (Святослав Ярославич) Old Norse: Sveinald Jarizleifsson		c.1027 Kiev Son of Yaroslav I the Wise and Ingigerda of Sweden	1073–1076	Kievan Rus'	Cecilia of Dithmarschen[10] Between 1043 and 1047 five children Oda of Stade (Nordmark) c.1065 one son	27 December 1076 Kiev aged 48–49	A brief ruler during his brother Iziaslav's official reign.
Vsevolod I Vsevolod Andrew Yaroslavich (Всеволод Ярославич) Old Norse: Vissivald Jarizleifsson		c.1030 Son of Yaroslav I the Wise and Ingigerda of Sweden	1078–1093	Kievan Rus'	Anastasia of Byzantium c.1053 two children Anna of the Kipchaks c.1070 four children	13 April 1093 Vyshhorod aged 62–63	Usurped the throne from his nephew, Yaropolk Iziaslavich.
Saint Yaropolk (III) Izyaslavich Yaropolk Peter Iziaslavich (Ярополк Ізяславич) Old Norse: Iaropolk Izjasleifsson (?)		c.1043 Son of Iziaslav I and Gertrude of Poland	1078–1087	Kievan Rus'	Kunigunde of Meissen c.1071 four children	22 November 1087 Zvenyhorod aged 62–63	As hereditary King of Rus (title assumed until his death), was a legitimate contestant for the throne, usurped by his uncle.
Sviatopolk II Sviatopolk Michael Iziaslavich (Всеволод Ярославич) Old Norse: Sveinpolk Izjasleifsson (?)		8 November 1050 Son of Iziaslav I and Gertrude of Poland	1093–1113	Kievan Rus'	Unknown name (daughter of Spytihněv II of Bohemia)[11] c.1085 three children Olenna of the Kipchaks c.1094 four children	26 April 1113 Vyshhorod aged 62	Recovered the throne of his father from his uncle. However, his descendants lost their rights to the Kievan throne. After the division of the territory made in the Council of Liubech of 1097, Kievan Rus' gradually lost its importance, and from 1132 changed name to Kiev.
After the Council of Liubech in 1097 Kievan Rus' entered a feudal period and was divided into principalities ruled by the Rurikid family princes who were in a constant power struggle with each other. Major principalities were: Galicia-Volhynia, Kiev, Chernihiv, and Pereiaslavl. In the period of 1240–1362, the three latter ones were forced to accept the Golden Horde overlordship. See List of early East Slavic states
Davyd I Sviatoslavich		1050	1097–1123	Chernigov	Teodosia five children	1123	Son of Sviatoslav II.
David I Igorevich		1055	1097–1099	Volhynia	Unknown three children	25 May 1112	Grandson of Yaroslav I.
Vladimir II Monomakh Vladimir Basil Vsevolodovich (Володимир Мономах) Old Norse: Valdamarr Vissivaldsson		1053 Son of Vsevolod I and Anastasia of Byzantium	1097–1113	Pereiaslavl	Gytha of Wessex c.1074 five or six children Euphemia of Byzantium c.1100 six or seven children Unknown name (daughter of Aepa Ocenevich, Khan in Cumania) After 1107 no known children	19 May 1125 Kiev aged 71–72	Ruled against his relative Sviatopolk II until his own accession to the throne in 1113. He is considered to be the last ruler of the united Kievan Rus'.
			1113–1125	Kievan Rus'
Mstislav Sviatopolkovich		?	1099	Volhynia	Unknown	1099	Son of Sviatopolk II.
Yaroslav Sviatopolkovich		c. 1070	1099–1118	Volhynia	Unknown (daughter of Ladislaus I of Hungary) c.1091 Judith-Maria of Poland c.1106 Unknown (daughter of Mstislav I of Kiev) c.1112 three/four children in total	May 1124	Son of Sviatopolk II.
Sviatoslav III Vladimirovich		?	1113–1114	Pereiaslavl	Unmarried	6 March 1114	Son of Vladimir II Monomakh.
Roman Vladimirovich		?	1118–1119	Volhynia	Unknown	6 January 1119	Son of Vladimir II Monomakh.
Constantine		1070	1123–1127	Chernigov	Unknown three children	1129	Son of Sviatoslav II.
Mstislav I the Great Mstislav Theodore Vladimirovich (Мстислав Великий) Old Norse: Haraldr Valdamarrsson		1 June 1076 Turov Son of Vladimir II Monomakh and Gytha of Wessex	1125–1132	Kievan Rus'	Christina of Sweden 1095 ten children Liubava Dmitrievna of Novgorod 1122 two children	14 April 1132 Kiev aged 55	After his reign Kievan Rus' fell into recession starting a rapid decline.
Yaropolk II		1082	1114–1132	Pereiaslavl	Helena of Ossetia 1116 one child	18 February 1139	Brother of Mstislav I.
			1132–1139	Kyiv
Vsevolod II		1103	1132	Pereiaslavl	Anna before 1125 four children	11 February 1138	Son of Mstislav the Great.
Yuri I the Long-Armed		1099	1132 1134–1135	Pereiaslavl	Two wives fifteen children	15 May 1157	Son of Vladimir II Monomakh.
Iziaslav II		1096[12]	1132–1133	Pereiaslavl	Agnes of Germany before 1151 five children Rusudan of Georgia[12] 1154 no children	13 November 1154[12]	Son of Mstislav the Great. 1st time.
Viacheslav I		1083	1133–1134	Pereiaslavl	Unknown before 1139 one child	2 February 1154	1st time in both principalities. Deposed.
			1139	Kyiv
Andrew I the Good		11 August 1102	1119–1135	Volhynia	Unknown (daughter of Tugor-khan of Polotsk) c.1117 two children	22 January 1141	Son of Vladimir II Monomakh.
			1135–1141	Pereiaslavl
Iziaslav II		1096[12]	1135–1141	Volhynia	Agnes of Germany before 1151 five children Rusudan of Georgia[12] 1154 no children	13 November 1154[12]	Son of Mstislav the Great. 1st time.
Vsevolod II		1104	1127–1139	Chernigov	Maria of Rus' 1116 one child	1 August 1146	Grandson of Sviatoslav II, married Maria, sister of Mstislav the Great, Yaropolk II and Viacheslav I.
			1139–1146	Kiev
Sviatoslav IV		1123	1141–1146	Volhynia	Maria of Polotsk 1143 eight children	25 July 1194	Son of Vsevolod II.
Saint Igor II		1096	1146	Kyiv	Unmarried	19 September 1147	Brother of Vsevolod II. Deposed.
Vladimir II Davidovich		?	1139–1151	Chernigov	Unknown 1144 one child	12 May 1151	Son of his predecessor.
Volodymyrko Volodarovych		1104	1141–1153	Halych	Sophia of Hungary c.1117 four children	1153	Reunited the principalities of Zvenigorod, Peremyshl, and Terebovlia under his rule, to form the Principality of Halych.
Iziaslav II		1096[12]	1141–1146	Pereiaslavl	Agnes of Germany before 1151 five children Rusudan of Georgia[12] 1154 no children	13 November 1154[12]	Son of Mstislav the Great
			1146–1149	Kiev and Volhynia
			1149–1151	Volhynia
			1151–1154	Kyiv
Mstislav II the Brave		1125	1146–1149 1151–1154	Pereiaslavl	Agnes of Poland 1151 three children	19 August 1170	Son of Iziaslav II.
Yuri I the Long-Armed		1099	1149–1151 1155–1157	Kyiv	Two wives fifteen children	15 May 1157	Son of Vladimir II Monomakh.
Rostislav		?	1149–1151	Pereiaslavl	Unknown before 1151 three children	1151	Son of Yuri I.
Sviatopolk II		After 1096	1151–1154	Volhynia	Euphemia of Olomouc[13] 1143 or 1144 no children	20 February 1154	Son of Mstislav the Great.
Iziaslav III		1115	1151–1154	Chernigov	Unknown one child	6 March 1161	Grandson of Sviatoslav II. In 1161 jointly with Rostislav I.
			1154–1155	Kyiv
			1155–1157	Chernigov
			1157–1158 1161	Kyiv
Rostislav I		1110	1154 1158–1162	Kyiv	Unknown eight children	14 March 1167	Brother of Iziaslav II.
Yaroslav Osmomysl		1130	1153–1187	Halych	Olga Yurievna of Vladimir-Suzdal four children Nastasia one child	1 October 1187
Vladimir III Mstislavich		1132	1154–1157	Volhynia	Unknown name (daughter of Grand Prince Beloš Vukanović of Serbia) 1150 four children	1173	Son of Mstislav the Great.
Sviatoslav III Olgovich		1106/1107	1154–1155 1157–1164	Chernigiv	Unknown six children	1164	Grandson of Sviatoslav II.
Mstislav II the Brave		1125	1157–1170	Volhynia	Agnes of Poland 1151 three children	19 August 1170	Son of Iziaslav II.
			1167–1169 1170	Kyiv
Gleb		1125	1154–1169	Pereiaslavl	Unknown 1154 three children	20 January 1171	Son of Yuri I.
			1169 1170–1171	Kyiv
Vladimir III		1157	1169–1187	18 April 1187	Pereiaslavl	Unknown 1180 no children	Son of his predecessor.
Vladimir III Mstislavich		1132	1171	Kiev	Unknown name (daughter of Grand Prince Beloš Vukanović of Serbia) 1150 four children	1173	Son of Mstislav the Great.
Sviatoslav Mstislavich		?	1170–1173	Volhynia	Unknown	1173/93	Son of Mstislav the Brave.
Roman II the Great		1152	1173–1188	Volhynia	Predslava of Kiev 1170 or 1180 two children Anna Angelina of Byzantium c.1197 two children	19 June 1205	Son-in-law of Rurik II.
Vsevolod Mstislavich		?	1188	Volhynia	Unknown	1196	Son of Mstislav the Brave.
Roman I		before 1149	1171–1173 1175–1177	Kiev	Maria of Novgorod 9 January 1149 three children	14 June 1180	Son of Rostislav I.
Michael I		1151	1171	Kiev	Theodosia before 1176 two children	20 June 1176	Son of Yuri I.
Vsevolod III the Big Nest		1151	1173	Kiev	Maria Shvarnovna fourteen children Liubava Vasilkovna of Vitebsk 1209 no children	15 April 1212	Son of Yuri I.
Rurik II		before 1157	1173 1180–1182 1194–1202 1203–1204 1206 1207–1210	Kiev	Unknown 1163 Anna of Turov[14] before 1176 six children	1215	Son of Rostislav I.
Yaroslav II		1132	1174–1175 1180	Kiev	Richeza of Bohemia 1149 four children	1180	Son of Iziaslav II.
Sviatoslav IV		1123	1164–1173	Chernigov	Maria of Polotsk 1143 eight children	25 July 1194	Son of Vsevolod II.
			1173–1174	Kiev and Chernigov
			1174–1177	Chernigov
			1177–1180	Kiev and Chernigov
			1182–1194	Kiev
Yaroslav II Vsevolodovich		1139	1180–1198	Chernigov	Irene[15][16][17] before 1171 three children	1198	Son of Vsevolod II.
Oleg Yaroslavich Nastasich		?	1187	Halych	Unknown	1187/8
Yaroslav II the Red		?	1187–1199	Pereiaslavl	Unmarried	1199	Grandson of Yuri I.
Vladimir Yaroslavich		?	1187–1188 1189–1199	Halych	Boleslava c.1166 one child	1187/8
Igor II the Brave		3 April 1151	1198–1201	Chernigov	Euphrosyne Yaroslavna of Halych[18] before 1170 five children	1201	Son of Sviastoslav (IV) Olgovich.
Igor III		1152	1202–1203 1212–1214	Kiev	Unknown five children	1220
Yaroslav III		8 February 1191	1199–1206	Pereyaslavl	Unknown 1205 no children Rostislava of Novgorod 1214 (annulled 1216) no children Theodosia of Ryazan 1218 twelve children	30 September 1246	Son of Vsevolod III of Kiev.
Oleg II Sviatoslavich		?	1202–1204	Chernigov	Unknown 1176 two children	1204	Sons of Sviatoslav V, co-ruled in Chernigov.
Vsevolod IV the Red		?	1201–1206	Chernigov	Maria of Poland 14 October or 24 December 1178[19] or 14 November 1179 one child	August 1212
			1206–1207	Kiev and Chernigov
			1207–1210	Chernigov
			1210–1212	Kiev and Chernigov
Roman II the Great (Роман Мстиславич)		1152 Son of Mstislav II of Kiev and Agnes of Poland	1188–1189	Volhynia and Halych	Predslava of Kiev 1170 or 1180 two children Anna-Euphrosyne Angelina c.1197 two children	19 June 1205 Zawichost aged 52–53	Son-in-law of Rurik II. His reign marked the rise of Galicia-Volhynia as a Kievan Rus' successor state.
			1189–1198	Volhynia
			1198–1204	Volhynia and Halych, then Galicia-Volhynia
			1204–1205	Kiev and Galicia-Volhynia
Rostislav II		13 April 1172		Kiev	Verchoslava of Kiev 15 June 1187 one child	3 March 1218	Son of Rurik II and son-in-law of Vsevolod III. Ruled with Roman, his brother-in-law.
Saint Michael II		1185	1206	Pereyaslavl	Helena of Galicia-Volhynia 1210 or 1211[20] seven children	20 September 1246	Son of Vsevolod the Red.
Vladimir IV		September- December 1187	1206–1213	Pereyaslavl	unknown before 1239 four children	3 March 1239	Son of Rurik II.
Rurik II		before 1157	1212–1215[21]	Chernigov	Unknown 1163 Anna of Turov[14] before 1176 six children	1215	Son of Rostislav I.
Vladimir V Vsevolodovich		26 October 1192	1213–1215[22]	Pereyaslavl	unknown before 1239 four children	6 January 1227	Son of Vsevolod the Big Nest. After his death the Principality was integrated on the Principality of Yaroslavl and then on the Principality of Vladimir.
Pereyaslavl was annexed by Yaroslavl, and then by Vladimir-Suzdal. See List of Russian rulers for later princes.
Mstislav III the Old		1156	1214–1223	Kiev	Unknown 1116 seven children	2 June 1223	Son of Roman II.
Gleb I		c.1168	1215–1217	Chernigov	Anastasia of Kiev 1183 three children	1215 or 1220[16]	Son-in-law of Rurik II.
Mstislav I		c.1168	1217–1223	Chernigov	Yasynya-Marfa Shvarnovna 1183 four children	31 May 1223	Brother-in-law of Vsevolod the Big Nest.
Vladimir IV		September- December 1187	1223–1233	Kiev	unknown before 1239 four children	3 March 1239	Son of Rurik II.
Saint Michael II		1185	1223–1234	Chernigov	Helena of Galicia-Volhynia 1210 or 1211[20] seven children	20 September 1246	Son of Vsevolod the Red. 1st time.
Iziaslav IV		1186	1233–1236	Kiev	Agafia no children	1255	Son of Mstislav III.
Mstislav II		before 1215/1220	1234–1239	Chernigov	Unknown before 1239 two children	after 18 October 1239
Yaroslav III		8 February 1191	1236–1238 1246	Kiev	Unknown 1205 no children Rostislava of Novgorod 1214 (annulled 1216) no children Theodosia of Ryazan 1218 twelve children	30 September 1246	Son of Vsevolod III of Kiev.
Saint Michael II		1185	1238–1239 1239–1243	Kiev	Helena of Galicia-Volhynia 1210 or 1211[20] seven children	20 September 1246	Son of Vsevolod the Red. While in negotiations with the Golden Horde, his son Rostislav Mikhailovich took briefly Kiev throne in 1239, before being expelled by Daniel of Galicia, who put Voivode Dmytro to protect Kiev's throne until Michael's return in 1240. However the city was destroyed in that year. Regained Chernihiv throne in 1243, co-ruling with Andrew Mstislavich.
			1243–1246	Kiev and Chernigov
Andrew I Mstislavich[23]		?	1245–1246	Chernigov	Unknown	1246	Son of Mstislav II. Co-ruling with Michael II.
Rostislav Mikhailovich		after 1210	1239–1243	Chernigov	Anna of Hungary 1243 five children	1262	Son of Michael the Saint.
			1239	Kiev
Andrew II Vsevolodovich		?	1246–1263	Chernigov	Unknown	1263	Brother of Michael II.
Saint Alexander Nevsky		13 May 1221	1246–1263	Kiev	Praskovia-Alexandra of Polotsk 1239 five children Vassilissa before 1263 no children	14 November 1263	Son of his predecessor.
Yaroslav IV		1230	1263–1272	Kiev	Natalia before 1252 two children Saint Xenia of Tarusa 1265 four children	16 September 1272	Brother of his predecessor.
Leo I		1228	1272–1301	Kiev	Constance of Hungary 1116 one child	1301	Son of Daniel I. Also King of Galicia-Volhynia. After his death in 1301, Kiev fell in the hands of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Util at least 1362, were installed Lithuanian governors in Kiev.[24]

Several Cossack regiments were operating in Ukraine at this time that were largely independent of each other, so some of the Hetmans' tenures overlap.

1486–1492		Yurii Pats	governor of Kyiv; organizer Cossack units.
1488–1495		Bohdan Hlynskyi	Cossack leader, destroyer Ochakov.
1492–1505		Dmytro Putyatych	Cossack leader.
1510–1524		Senko Polozovych	governor of Kyiv; Cossack leader.
1514–1535		Ostap Dashkevych	Cossack leader.
1516–1528		Przecław Lanckoroński	Cossack leader.
1550–1557		Dmytro Vyshnevetsky	founder of the fortress at Minor Khortytsia.
1568		Semen Birulia	Cossack leader.
1568		Karpo Maslo	Cossack leader.
1568		Andrush	Moldavian boyar Cossack leader.
1568		Lisun	Cossack leader.
1568		Yatsko Bilous	Cossack leader.
1568		Andrii Liakh	Cossack leader.
1577–1578		Ivan Pidkova	Cossack leader.
1578		Lukian Chornynskyi	Cossack leader, hetman.
1581		Samiilo Zborovskyi	Cossack leader, hetman.
1584		Bohdan Mykoshynskyi	Cossack leader, hetman.
1585		Mykhailo Ruzhynskyi	Cossack leader, hetman.
1585		Kyryk Ruzhynskyi	Cossack leader, hetman.
1585		Zakhar Kulaha	Cossack leader, hetman.
1586		Lukian Chornynskyi	Cossack leader, hetman.
1586		Bohdan Makoshynskyi	Cossack leader, hetman.
1588		Potrebatskyy	Cossack leader, hetman.
1589		Zachary Kulaga	Cossack leader, hetman.
1594		Bohdan Mykoshynskyi	Cossack leader, hetman.
1594–1596		Hryhoriy Loboda	Cossack leader.
1594–1596		Severyn Nalyvaiko	Cossack leader.
1596		Matvii Shaula	Cossack leader, hetman.
1596		Kryshtof Krempskyi	Cossack leader, hetman.
1596		Kryshtof Nechkovskyi	Cossack leader, hetman.
1596–1597		Hnat Vasylevych	Cossack leader, hetman.
1597		Tykhin Baibuza	Cossack leader, hetman.
1598		Florian Hedroits	Cossack leader.
1598		Mitlovskyi	Cossack leader.
1602–1603		Ivan Kutskovych	Cossack leader, hetman.
1603		Ivan Kosyi	Cossack leader, hetman.
1606		Hryhorii Izapovych	Cossack leader, hetman.
1606		Samiilo Zborovskyi	Cossack leader, hetman.
1606		Bohdan Olevchenko	Cossack leader, hetman.
1617		Dmytro Barabash	Cossack leader, hetman.
1618		Mykhailo Skyba	Cossack leader.
1619–1621		Yatsko Nerodych	Cossack leader, hetman.
1620		Petro Odynets	Cossack leader.
1624		Hryhoriy Chorny	Cossack leader, hetman.
1625		Fedir Pyrskyi	Cossack leader, hetman.
1628		Hryhoriy Chorny	Cossack leader, hetman.
1629–1630		Hryhoriy Chorny	Cossack leader, hetman.
1630		Taras Fedorovych	Cossack leader, hetman.
1632		Andrii Didenko	Cossack leader, hetman.
1633		Dorofii Doroshenko	Cossack leader, acting hetman.
1633		Dorosh Kutskovych	Cossack leader, acting hetman.
1633		Hyria Kanevets	Cossack leader.
1633–1635		Ivan Sulyma	Cossack leader, hetman.
1636–1637		Vasyl Tomylenko	Cossack leader, hetman.
1637		Pavlo Pavliuk	Cossack leader, hetman.
1638		Yakiv Ostrianyn	Cossack leader, hetman.
1638		Dmytro Hunia	Cossack leader, hetman.
1639–1642		Karpo Pivtora-Kozhukha	Cossack leader, hetman.
1642–1646		Maksym Hulak	Cossack leader, hetman.

Following the Khmelnytsky uprising a new Cossack republic, the Hetmanate, was formed.

No.	Hetman			Elected (event)	Took office	Left office
1			Bohdan Khmelnytsky (1596–1657) Зиновій-Богдан Хмельницький	1648 (Sich)	26 January 1648	6 August 1657	died
2			Yurii Khmelnytsky (1641–1685) Юрій Хмельницький	death of his father	6 August 1657	27 August 1657	reconsidered by the Council of Officers
3			Ivan Vyhovsky (1600s–1664) Іван Виговський	1657 (Korsun)	27 August 1657 (confirmed: 21 October 1657)	11 September 1659	surrendered title
4			Yurii Khmelnytsky (1641–1685) Юрій Хмельницький	1659 (Hermanivka)	11 September 1659 (confirmed: 11 September 1659)	October 1662	surrendered title

The Ruin (1660–1687) was a time in Ukrainian history when the country fell into disarray and chaos. Afterwards, the Cossack state emerged as a vassal of the Russian Empire. During this period a number of hetmans stayed in power for short periods of time and often controlled only parts of the country. Moreover, the Treaty of Andrusovo (1667) split the Cossack Hetmanate along the Dnieper River into Left-bank Ukraine, which enjoyed a degree of autonomy within the Tsardom of Russia; and Right-bank Ukraine which remained part of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, and at times (1672–1699) part of the Ottoman Empire.

Right-bank Ukraine			Left-bank Ukraine
Polish protectorate				Russian protectorate
1660—1663		Yurii Khmelnytsky	1660—1663		Yakym Somko
1663—1665		Pavlo Teteria	1663—1668		Ivan Briukhovetsky
1665—1668		Petro Doroshenko
Unification
1668—1669		Petro Doroshenko

Partition
Right-bank Ukraine						Left-bank Ukraine
Osman protectorate			Polish protectorate			Russian protectorate			Swedish protectorate
1669—1676		Petro Doroshenko	1669—1674		Mykhailo Khanenko	1669—1672		Demian Mnohohrishny
1678—1681		Yurii Khmelnytsky	1675—1679		Ostap Gogol	1672—1687		Ivan Samoilovych
1681—1684		Gheorghe Duca	1683—1684		Stefan Kunicki
1685		Yurii Khmelnytsky	1684—1689		Andrii Mohyła
						1687—1708		Ivan Mazepa
Unification
						1708—1722		Ivan Skoropadsky	1708—1709		Ivan Mazepa
									1708—1718		Pylyp Orlyk
1718—1742		Pylyp Orlyk				1722—1724		Pavlo Polubotok
						1727—1734		Danylo Apostol
						1750—1764		Kirill Razumovsky

The Ukrainian People's Republic was formed after the Russian Revolution of 1917, and lasted until the Peace of Riga between Poland and Soviet Russia in March 1921. The state leadership position title varied and, despite a rather widespread misconception, none of them had an official Presidential title.

The Directorate of Ukraine was a provisional council of the UNR formed after Skoropadskyi's Hetmanate fell apart. On 22 January 1919, the Act of Unification of the Ukrainian People's Republic and the West Ukrainian People's Republic was passed. The text of the universal was made by the members of the Directory.

No.	Picture	Name (Birth–Death)	Began office	Left office	Party	Title(s)
—		Volodymyr Pavlovych Naumenko (1852–1919)	17 (4) March 1917	28 (15) March 1917	Constitutional Democratic Party	Chairman of the Central Rada
1		Mykhailo Hrushevsky (1866–1934)	28 (15) March 1917[34]	29 April 1918	Ukrainian Socialist-Revolutionary Party	Chairman of the Central Rada
2		Pavlo Skoropadskyi (1873–1945)	29 April 1918	14 December 1918	Ukrainian People's Hromada	Hetman
3		Volodymyr Vynnychenko (1880–1951)	14 December 1918	11 February 1919	Ukrainian Social Democratic Labour Party	Chairmen of the Directory
4		Symon Petliura (1879–1926)	11 February 1919	10 November 1920	Independent	Chairmen of the Directory

The government of the Western Ukrainian People's Republic, which was proclaimed on 19 October 1918, united with the Ukrainian People's Republic on 22 January 1919, although this was mostly a symbolic act because the western Ukrainians retained their own Ukrainian Galician Army and government structure. After the Polish-Ukrainian War, Poland took over most of territory of the West Ukrainian People's Republic by July 1919.

No.	Picture	Name (Birth–Death)	Began office	Left office	Party	Title(s)
1		Yevhen Petrushevych (1863–1940)	18 October 1918	22 January 1919	Ukrainian National Democratic Party	President

  Christian People's Party

No.		Portrait	Name	In Office From	In Office Until	Party
1			Avgustyn Voloshyn 1874–1945	15 March 1939	16 March 1939	Christian People's Party

In Paris and Prague to 1945; Munich 1945–1992 and New York City 1945–1946 and then in the last part of 1992:

No.	Picture	Name (Birth–Death)	Began office	Left office	Party	Title(s)
1		Symon Petliura (1879–1926)	12 November 1920	25 May 1926	Independent	President
2		Andriy Livytskyi (1879–1954)	25 May 1926	17 January 1954	Ukrainian Social Democratic Labour Party	President
3		Stepan Vytvytskyi (1884–1965)	17 January 1954	9 October 1965	Independent	President
4		Mykola Livytskyi (1907–1989)	9 October 1965	8 December 1989	Independent	President
5		Mykola Plaviuk (1925–2012)	8 December 1989	22 August 1992	Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists	President

Prime Minister of the Ukrainian State:   Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists

No.		Portrait	Name	In Office From	In Office Until	Party
1			Yaroslav Stetsko 1912–1986	30 June 1941	9 July 1941	Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists

The nomenclature for the head of state position was changing. At first it was called as the chairman of the Central Executive Committee, then it was called as the Uprising Nine (Povstanburo) which was later reorganized into the Central Military-Revolutionary Committee (sort of revkom). In mid July 1918 there were some biases about the idea of the Ukrainian SSR, but with the help of more nationally inclined bolsheviks such as Skrypnyk, Zatonsky, and others the government of the Soviet Ukraine was preserved. After the defeat of Directoria the head of state was again called as the chairman of the Central Executive Committee. Since 1938 the position began to be called as the chairman of the Presidium of Verkhovna Rada which was abolished in 1990. From 1990 to 1991 it was simply the head of the Verkhovna Rada until the introduction of the office of the President of Ukrainian SSR.

No.	Picture	Name (Birth–Death)	Began office	Left office	Party	Title(s)
1		Yukhym Medvedev (1886–1936)	24 December 1917	18 March 1918	Ukrainian Social Democratic Labour Party	Chairmen of the Central Executive Committee
2		Volodymyr Zatonsky (1888–1938)	18 March 1918	18 April 1918	Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (bolshevik)	Chairmen of the Central Executive Committee
—		Ukrainian Bureau For Directing the Partisan Resistance Against the German Occupiers	18 April 1918	28 November 1918	Communist Party of Ukraine (bolshevik)	Chairmen of the Central Executive Committee
—		Georgy Pyatakov (1890–1937)	28 November 1918	29 January 1919	Communist Party of Ukraine (bolshevik)	Chairmen of the Central Executive Committee
—		Christian Rakovsky (1873–1941)	29 January 1919	10 March 1919	Communist Party of Ukraine (bolshevik)	Chairmen of the Central Executive Committee
3		Grigory Petrovsky (1878–1958)	10 March 1919	10 March 1938	Communist Party of Ukraine (bolshevik)	Chairmen of the Central Executive Committee
—		Leonid Korniyets (1901–1967)	10 March 1938	25 July 1938	Communist Party of Ukraine (bolshevik)	Chairmen of the Central Executive Committee
—		Mykhailo Burmystenko (1902–1941)	25 July 1938	27 July 1938	Communist Party of Ukraine (bolshevik)	First speaker of Verkhovna Rada
4		Leonid Korniyets (1901–1967)	27 July 1938	28 July 1939	Communist Party of Ukraine (bolshevik)	Chairmen of the Presidium of Verkhovna Rada
			28 July 1939	14 January 1954	Communist Party of Ukraine (bolshevik)	Chairmen of the Presidium of Verkhovna Rada
5		Demyan Korotchenko (1894–1969)	14 January 1954	7 April 1969	Communist Party of Ukraine	Chairmen of the Presidium of Verkhovna Rada
6		Oleksandr Liashko (1915–2002)	7 April 1969	8 June 1972	Communist Party of Ukraine	Chairmen of the Presidium of Verkhovna Rada
7		Ivan Hrushetsky (1904–1982)	8 June 1972	24 June 1976	Communist Party of Ukraine	Chairmen of the Presidium of Verkhovna Rada
8		Oleksiy Vatchenko (1914–1984)	24 June 1976	22 November 1984	Communist Party of Ukraine	Chairmen of the Presidium of Verkhovna Rada
9		Valentyna Shevchenko (1935–2020)	22 November 1984	4 June 1990	Communist Party of Ukraine	Chairmen of the Presidium of Verkhovna Rada
10		Vladimir Ivashko (1932–1994)	4 June 1990	9 July 1990	Communist Party of Ukraine	Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada
—		Ivan Plyushch (1941–2014)	9 July 1990	23 July 1990	Communist Party of Ukraine	Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada
11		Leonid Kravchuk (1934–2022)	23 July 1990	24 August 1991	Communist Party of Ukraine	Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada

The following list is composed of the secretary of the Central Committee of the party who were the leaders of the Party. The position also was changing names between being called the First Secretary or the general secretary, depending on a political atmosphere in the Soviet Union. The position was not officially of the head of state, but certainly was very influential, especially within the republic. The longest serving secretary was Vladimir Shcherbitsky with some 17 years as the head of the Communist Party, the second best is split between Stanislav Kosior and Nikita Khrushchev, both of which have 11 years.

• Mykola Oleksiiovych Skrypnyk (20 April – 26 May 1918, Secretary of the Organizational Bureau)

№	Secretary		Took office	Left office	Deputy	Congress
(1)		Yurii Leonidovych Pyatakov	12 July 1918	9 September 1918	None	1
2		Serafima Ilyinichna Gopner	9 September 1918	22 October 1918	None
3		Emanuil Ionovich Kviring	23 October 1918	6 March 1919	None	2
(1)		Yurii Leonidovych Pyatakov	6 March 1919	30 May 1919	None	3
4		Stanislav Vikentevich Kosior	30 May 1919	10 December 1919	None
—		Rafail Borisovich Farbman Acting	10 December 1919	23 March 1920	None
5		Nikolai Ilyich Beschetvertnoi	23 March 1920	25 March 1920	None	4
—		Stanislav Vikentevich Kosior Acting	25 March 1920	17 October 1922	None
6		Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Molotov	23 November 1920	22 March 1921	Dmitriy Lebed	5
—		Feliks Yakovlevich Kon Acting	22 March 1921	13 December 1921
7		Dmitry Zakharovich Manuilsky	14 December 1921	10 April 1923		6
(3)		Emanuil Ionovich Kviring	10 April 1923	16 May 1924		7
			17 May 1924	7 April 1925	Aleksei Medvedev	8
					Ivan Klimenko
8		Lazar Moiseyevich Kaganovich	7 April 1925	12 December 1925
			12 December 1925	29 November 1927		9
					Aleksei Medvedev
			29 November 1927	14 July 1928		10
(4)		Stanislav Vikentevich Kosior	14 July 1928	15 June 1930
					Lavrentiy Kartvelishvili
			15 June 1930	23 January 1934		11
					Vasiliy Stroganov
					Mendel Khatayevich
					Pavel Postyshev
			23 January 1934	3 June 1937		12
					Mendel Khatayevich
			3 June 1937	27 January 1938		13
					Sergei Kudryavtsev
9		Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev Acting until 18 June 1938	27 January 1938	17 May 1940	Mikhail Burmistenko Acting until 18 June 1938
						14
			17 May 1940	3 March 1947		15
					Demian Korotchenko
(8)		Lazar Moiseyevich Kaganovich	3 March 1947	26 December 1947
(9)		Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev	26 December 1947	28 January 1949	Leonid Melnikov
			28 January 1949	16 December 1949		16
10		Leonid Georgyevich Melnikov	16 December 1949	27 September 1952	Aleksei Kirichenko
			27 September 1952	4 June 1953		17
11		Aleksey Illarionovich Kirichenko	4 June 1953	26 March 1954	Nikolai Podgorny
			26 March 1954	21 January 1956		18
			21 January 1956	26 December 1957		19
12		Nikolay Viktorovich Podgorny	26 December 1957	19 February 1960	Leontiy Naidek
			19 February 1960	30 September 1961	Ivan Kazanets	20
			30 September 1961	2 July 1963		21
13		Petro Yukhymovych Shelest	2 July 1963	18 March 1966	Nikolai Sobol
			18 March 1966	20 March 1971	Oleksandr Liashko	22
					Ivan Lutak
			20 March 1971	25 May 1972		23
14		Vladimir Vasilyevich Shcherbitsky	25 May 1972	13 February 1976
			13 February 1976	12 February 1981	Ivan Sokolov	24
			12 February 1981	8 February 1986		25
					Oleksiy Titarenko
			8 February 1986	28 September 1989		26
					Vladimir Ivashko
15		Vladimir Antonovich Ivashko	28 September 1989	23 June 1990	Stanislav Hurenko	27
16		Stanislav Ivanovich Hurenko	23 June 1990	24 October 1990[35]	Leonid Kravchuk	28
					Hryhoriy Kharchenko