Maryna Poroshenko

Maryna Poroshenko was born as Maryna Perevedentseva (Ukrainian: Марина Анатоліївна Переведенцева) in 1962 in Kyiv, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union.[2] Her father Anatoly (born 1933) was Deputy Minister of Health of the Ukrainian SSR.[2] Her mother Lyudmyla worked at Kyiv Arsenal.[2]

While studying at the Bogomolets National Medical University, she met Petro Poroshenko at a disco. They married in 1984.[3] She worked as a cardiologist at the Zhovtneva Hospital until the birth of their first son, and after that, she devoted her time to her family.[2][3] She does not take part in public life and does not discuss politics with her husband.[4] She participates in the activities of the Petro Poroshenko Charity Foundation.[3]

In a June 2014 televised interview, Maryna said that she plans to engage in social and cultural issues currently facing Ukraine. Late June 2014 she met with Iryna Herashchenko, an envoy to the Peace plan for Eastern Ukraine and a mediator in the 2014 pro-Russian conflict in Ukraine. They discussed possible assistance to the people in Eastern Ukraine.[5]

In the 2020 Kyiv local election Poroshenko is placed first on the Kyiv City Council election list of the party European Solidarity (the party (nationwide) lead by her husband Petro Poroshenko).[1] In the election of Mayor of Kyiv (during the 2020 Kyiv local election) European Solidarity endorsed incumbent mayor Vitaly Klichko (who was nominated by the party UDAR).[6] European Solidarity won 31 Kyiv City Council seats in the 2020 Kyiv local election.[7] Klitschko was reelected as Mayor of Kyiv.[8]

Maryna and Petro Poroshenko have four children: son Olexiy (born 1985), twin daughters Yevheniya and Oleksandra (born 2000) and son Mykhaylo (born 2001).[3] The family continues to live in their private home in the historic neighborhood of Koncha-Zaspa. Olexiy was a representative in the regional parliament of Vinnytsia Oblast.[9] In November 2014, he became People's Deputy of Ukraine.

Former Ukrainian president Viktor Yushchenko is the godfather to their children.[10]

Maryna and then President Petro Poroshenko on stage on Maidan Nezalezhnosti in April 2019

As the First Lady, Maryna Poroshenko has enjoyed a considerable level of people's support, being once described as "a breath of fresh air."[11] According to a discussion on the Ukrainian TV show 1+1, Marina is charming, well spoken, educated, and represents a modern, democratic Ukraine. The Ukrainian people expect the First Lady to serve as a liaison between the common people and the political, male dominated Ukraine. They expect her to be involved in social issues of Ukraine and to be a helpmate to her husband in the international arena as she represents Ukraine to the international community.[12]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Maryna Poroshenko.

• June 2014 interview with Maryna Poroshenko on 5 kanal