Kostyantin Zhevago

Kostyantin Zhevago entered the Verkhovna Rada in 1998, beginning a twenty-one-year parliamentary tenure that coincided with his emergence as a prominent industrial investor. By 2026, Forbes estimated his net worth at US$1 billion, marking his status as one of Ukraine's six billionaires. His professional trajectory spans finance, mining, and machine-building sectors within the post-Soviet economic landscape.

Academic and Early Career

Born in Iultin in 1974, Zhevago spent his childhood in Dniprorudne. He enrolled at the Kyiv National Economic University named after Vadym Hetman in 1991, focusing on accounting and international economics. He completed his master's degree in 1996 and earned a Candidate of Economic Sciences degree in 2003. His early professional life included a role as financial director for Finance and Credit JSC and leadership positions at the Finance and Credit Bank.

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Industrial Investments

Zhevago oversaw significant industrial assets, including metallurgy, chemical manufacturing, and machine-building firms. He served as the executive director of Ferrexpo from 2008 to 2019, successfully listing the company on the London Stock Exchange. Through Avtokraz, he invested in domestic defense equipment production, supplying chassis for the Neptune missile complex and the Bogdana self-propelled howitzer. Additionally, he maintained ownership of the Vorskla football team in Poltava.

Legislative Tenure

Zhevago served as a People's Deputy of Ukraine across six convocations between 1998 and 2019. Throughout his parliamentary career, he contributed to committees focused on economic policy, legal policy, and privatization. He represented the 150th electoral district in the Poltava region for several terms, winning his 2012 seat with 61.20% of the vote. He concluded his legislative career after an unsuccessful bid in the 2019 parliamentary elections.

Banking and Divestment

Finance and Credit, which Zhevago chaired as board head, grew into one of Ukraine's ten largest banks by the late 2000s, operating hundreds of branches nationwide. By 2009, the bank held substantial assets and liabilities, managing a loan portfolio that included significant individual and corporate credits. The National Bank of Ukraine eventually withdrew the institution's license in December 2016, leading to its liquidation.