KIEV, Ukraine — Even premiers can be heroes. Viktor Yushchenko, while heading the government, managed to clear pension arrears and stop mass blackouts. His deeds were not forgotten, and when he was running for president in 2004, he made the most of them.

PM Yulia Tymoshenko
During the same race, Viktor Yanukovych, the then prime minister, managed to raise pensions. That noble deed did not help