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Communist leader. He was chief theorist, a leader in both the 1905 and 1917 Russian Revolutions alongside Vladimir Lenin. As commissar for foreign affairs, Trotsky arranged the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany. He next became head of the Red Army during the Russian Civil War, which resulted in the deaths of over a million White Army soldiers and Cossacks, upon orders from Vladimir Lenin. He had Russian peasants and workers forcibly conscripted into the Red Army, but he proved to be a poor military leader and the Russian invasion of Poland in the 1920s was repulsed by Polish forces under Marshal Józef Pilsudski, with very heavy Russian losses. Trotsky and his arch-rival Joseph Stalin struggled for power after Lenin's death in 1924. Stalin eventually stripped Trotsky of his influence by 1929, and expelled him from Russia in 1936. Trotsky spent the rest of his life in exile, living in the home of Mexican communist artist Diego Rivera in Mexico. There he was writing and preaching revolution, until he was assassinated by Spanish communist Ramon Mercader, an assassin sent to kill Trotsky by Stalin, in 1940.

Aliona Olehivna Savranenko, better known by her stage name Alyona Alyona, is a Ukrainian rapper and songwriter. She released her debut album, "Pushka", in 2019, followed by an extended play the same year, V khati MA. Before doing rap, she worked as a teacher at "Teremok" kindergarten in Baryshivka, Kyiv Oblast. She then headed the kindergarten of the neighboring village of Dernivka. In total, Savranenko worked for four years in kindergartens and left the job once she gained popularity. Under her current alias, Alyona Alyona released her first video clip in October 2018, for the song called "Rybky". On 24 October, she released the second video clip of the same track, this time with professional directing. On 12 November, she released the video clip of "Holovy", which garnered one million views on YouTube in the first month. This was followed by two more video clips: "Vidchyniai" on November 30, and "Zalyshaiu svii dim" in December. The latter symbolically depicts the artist leaving Baryshivka, her hometown.

In January 2019, in the middle of a political scandal involving President Poroshenko, Alyona Alyona released a new song, titled "Obitsianky". Later that year, on 8 April, Alyona Alyona released her first album, Pushka, as well as the video clip of the homonymous main track. The album features four previously released songs, as well as nine new ones, including "Padlo", in a duo with Alina Pash. Alyona was praised in the Vogue issue of that month as "Ukraine's most unlikely rap star".

Alyona Alyona performed at the Sziget Festival in Budapest in August 2019. In December 2019, she wrote the lyrics of "Vilna", a song performed by Tina Karol and Julia Sanina and included in the soundtrack of the Ukrainian feature film Viddana. On 7 February 2020, she signed with the Polish label Def Jam Polska. On 15 January 2021, Alyona Alyona won the Public Choice Award at the Music Moves Europe Talent Awards contest.

Alyona Alyona was part of the Ukrainian jury for the Eurovision Song Contest 2021. She and Jerry Heil were selected among the finalists of the Ukrainian preselection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 with the song "Teresa & Maria".

Pyotr Todorovskiy was born on 26 August 1925 in Bobrynets, Zinovievsk Oblast, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Kirovohrad Oblast, Ukraine]. He was a director and writer, known for Encore, Once More Encore! (1992), Wartime Romance (1983) and Intergirl (1989). He was married to Mira Todorovskaya and Nadeshda Tsherednitshenko. He died on 24 May 2013 in Moscow, Russia.

Ilya Nabatov was born on 15 September 1896 in Aleksandriya, Aleksandriysky uyezd, Kherson Governorate, Russian Empire [now Oleksandriia, Oleksandriiskyi Raion, Kirovohrad Oblast, Ukraine]. He was an actor, known for The Vow (1946), Zvigenis kbili (1959) and V etot prazdnichnyi vecher (1959). He died on 18 July 1977 in Moscow, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia].

Ivan Bayda was born on 25 June 1914 in Yelizavetgrad, Kherson Governorate, Russian Empire [now Kirovohrad, Ukraine]. He was an actor, known for The Fair Barbara (1970) and Zolotye roga (1973). He died on 24 August 1991 in Moscow, Russia.

Aleksandr Razumnyj was born on 1 May 1891 in Yelizavetgrad, Kherson Governorate, Russian Empire [now Kirovohrad, Ukraine]. He was a director and writer, known for Beloe i chernoe (1919), Tyazheliye gody (1925) and Zhizn i smert leytenanta Shmidta (1917). He died on 16 November 1972 in Moscow, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia].

Vladimir Kharchenko-Kulikovskiy was born on 13 October 1967 in Kirovohrad, Ukraine. Vladimir is a director, known for Obmin (2022), The Diners (2019) and Ten lyubvi (2019).

Georgiy Nikolaenko was born on 1 November 1946 in Kirovograd, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Kirovohrad, Ukraine]. He is an actor and director, known for Dose cheloveka v 'Mersedese' (1986), Rozhdyonnye burey (1981) and Shyol chetvyortyy god voyny (1983).

Snezhana Odud was born on 19 October 2007 in Kirovohrad, Ukraine. She is an actress, known for Sprosite u oseni (2016), Provodnitsa (2017) and Vverkh tormashkami (2017).

Yakov Bazelyan was born on 28 August 1925 in Zlatopol, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Zlatopil, Kirovohrad Oblast, Ukraine]. He was a director, known for Vchera, segodnya i vsegda (1972), Trener (1970) and Puti i sudby (1956). He died on 4 June 1990 in Moscow, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia].

Nila Kryukova was born on 14 November 1943 in Popovka, Onufrievka Raion, Kirovograd Oblast, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Popivka, Onufriivka Raion, Kirovohrad Oblast, Ukraine]. She was an actress, known for Propala hramota (1972), Na kievskom napravlyenii (1968) and Buryan (1967). She was married to Anatoli Barchuk. She died on 5 October 2018 in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Nikola Hejko was born on 22 May 1960 in Skal-Khutora, Kirovograd Oblast, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Kirovohrad Oblast, Ukraine]. He was an actor and assistant director, known for Utoli moya pechali (1989), Nemci za Uralem (1998) and Pisma k Elze (2002). He died on 13 May 2009 in Moscow, Russia.

Nikolai Litus was born on 1 January 1925 in Yelizavetgrad, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Kirovohrad, Ukraine]. He was a director and actor, known for Koroleva benzokolonki (1963), Obyknovennaya istoriya (1962) and Parol znali dvoye (1986). He died on 21 February 2022 in Ukraine.

Elizabet Manchola is well rounded performer, singer, actress, model and a writer. Elizabet is a proud graduate of The American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City and Los Angeles where she obtained Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Musical Theatre. Elizabet is a trained classical vocalist. Her career has brought her to the Chinese market where she has had recognition in international commercials for brands like Huawei, Meta Quest and BiteDance. She loves an active lifestyle where she practices Fight Choreography for Film. Elizabet's next, big project is to finish co-writing her musicals and dance shows.

Andrei Kanchelskis was born on 23 January 1969 in Kirovograd, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Kirovohrad, Ukraine].

Yuzef Printsev was born on 5 January 1922 in Yelisavetgrad [now Kirovohrad], Ukrainian SSR [now Ukraine]. He was a writer, known for Evo Zvali Robert (1967), Za oblakami - nebo (1973) and Tam, za gorizontom (1976). He died in 1989 in Leningrad, RSFSR, USSR [now St. Petersburg, Russia].

Yuri Karlovich Olesha was born on March 3, 1899, in Elizavetgrad, Russian Empire (now Kirovograd, Ukraine). His father, named Karl Olesha, belonged to Polish Shlachta and was a government officer. His mother was a devoted Catholic. In 1902 the family moved to Odessa. There young Olesha went to a Classical Gymnazium from which he graduated in 1916. In 1915-1916 he published his early poems. From 1917-1919 he studied at the Law Department of Novorossiisky University in Odessa. At that time he joined the Odessa group of writers, which included Isaak Babel, Ilya Ilf, Eduard Bagritsky, Yevgeni Petrov, and Valentin Kataev. Olesha briefly served in the Red Army during the Russian Civil War. In 1921 he moved to Kharkov, and his parents emigrated to Poland.

In 1922 Olesha settled in Moscow. He wrote for 'Gudok' newspaper, where his colleagues were such writers as Mikhail A. Bulgakov, Ilya Ilf, Yevgeni Petrov, Isaak Babel, and Valentin Katayev. Olesha gained recognition among writers as a master of metaphoric writing. He was penned "the king of metaphor" for his talent of hiding a deeper meaning between the innocent lines. Olesha himself admitted the influence of Lev Tolstoy, Herbert G. Wells, and Robert Louis Stevenson on his writing style. In 1924 Olesha wrote what became his best known novel - 'Tri tolstyaka' (The Three Fat Men). In was dedicated to his wife Olga Gustavovna Suok. One of the characters in the novel, a beautiful lady, was also named Suok. Olesha could not publish his novel for four years until 1928, and then he was criticized for the lack of revolutionary propaganda. However, with the support from the most influential critic Anatoli Lunacharsky, who was also the Comissar of Culture in the Soviet government, Olesha was commissioned to make an adaptation of his novel into a play. It was staged by Stanislavsky and Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko at the Moscow Art Theatre.

Olesha gained a high artistic reputation for his novel 'Zavist' (Envy). It was published in 1927, in a Moscow magazine. Olesha brilliantly criticized the loss of civilized values in the Soviet Union. His satirical metaphor of a sausage, as one of the important values in the Soviet life, became a prophecy in a time of hunger and social degradation under dictatorship of Joseph Stalin. Olesha made a stage adaptation of the novel titled 'A Conspirasy of Feelings', but it was banned. In 1930 Olesha wrote a political play 'Spisok blagodeianii' (A List of Good Acts). It was a metaphoric description of terror and social destruction in the Soviet Union. Vsevolod Meyerhold began rehearsals of the play, but it was banned. In 1934 Olesha wrote a speech to the Union of Soviet Writers expressing his opposition to restrictions and censorship in the rapidly degrading society.

In 1936 Olesha was condemned by the official Soviet literary establishment. All his writings were banned, all his plays were canceled, and he was made an outcast. In fear of being arrested Olesha ceased writing serious literary works. "The ruling anti-artistic gang does not need literature of any aesthetic value", explained Olesha in a letter to his wife. He withdrew from public life and turned to writing a diary which became a remarkable document of his experience under the totalitarian regime. Meanwhile, many of his fellow writers and cultural figures were executed. Russia lost such men as Isaak Babel, Vladimir Narbut, Vsevolod Meyerhold, Osip Mandelstam, and many other intellectuals. Olesha suffered from a loss of income and had to take any literary job for survival.

During the 1930's Olesha worked as a part-time screenwriter. He co-wrote scripts for 'Strogiy yunosha' (1934), 'Oshibka inzhenera Kochina' (1939), and 'Bolotnye soldaty' (aka.. Concentration Camp 1939). During the Second World War Olesha was evacuated to Ashkhabad, where he worked with the evacuated Odessa Film Studio. After WWII his writings were under the ban that lasted until the death of Joseph Stalin. In 1956 the ban was lifted because of the political "Thaw" that was initiated by Nikita Khrushchev. Olesha's collected works were published in 1956. By that time he was already a different man. For many years he suffered from humiliation and abuse by Soviet officials that caused him much emotional pain and led to a clinical depression. Yuri Olesha died of a heart attack on May 10, 1960, in Moscow. His diaries were published posthumously under the title 'No Day Without a Line'.

Olesha's books were translated in seventeen languages and sold millions of copies around the world. His novel 'Tri tolstyaka' (The Three fat Men) was adapted into a popular animation in 1963, and also into an even more popular feature film by director 'Aleksei Batalov' in 1966.

Tatiana Yarosh was born on 1 September 1984 in Kirovograd, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Kirovohrad, Ukraine].

Yulian Panich was born on 23 May 1931 in Zinovievsk, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Kirovohrad, Ukraine]. He was an actor and director, known for Brass Target (1978), Raznye sudby (1956) and Vsego dorozhe (1957). He was married to Ludmila Zweig. He died on 9 October 2023 in Rambouillet, Paris, France.

Yuli Meitus was born on 28 January 1903 in Yelisavetgrad, Yelisavetgrad uyezd, Kherson Governorate, Russian Empire [now Kirovohrad, Kirovohrad Oblast, Ukraine]. He was a composer, known for Battle Beyond the Sun (1959), Bogatyr idyot v Marto (1954) and V mirnye dni (1951). He died on 2 April 1997 in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Terentiy Yura was born on 22 April 1884 in Fedvar, Aleksandriya uyezd, Yelizavetgrad Governorate, Russian Empire [now Podlesnoye, Kirovohrad Oblast, Ukraine]. He was an actor, known for Volchi tropy (1930), Ivan (1932) and Karmeliuk (1938). He died on 9 May 1973 in Kiev, Kiev Oblast, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Kyiv, Kyiv Oblast, Ukraine].

Anna Sergiienko was born on 14 March 1987 in Aleksandryia, Kirovograd Oblast, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Oleksandriia, Kirovohrad Oblast, Ukraine]. She is an actress, known for Moral Prerogative (2015), Squat32 (2019) and Murder's Sweet Scent (2016).

Hnat Yura was born on 8 January 1888 in Fedvar, Aleksandriya uyezd, Yelizavetgrad Governorate, Russian Empire [now Podlesnoye, Kirovohrad Oblast, Ukraine]. He was an actor and director, known for Nezabyvaemyy 1919 god (1951), Ukradene shchastia (1952) and Martyn Borulya (1953). He died on 18 January 1966 in Kiev, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine].

Vladimir Davydov was born on 19 January 1849 in Novomirgorod, Bobrinets uyezd, Kherson Governorate, Russian Empire [now Novomyrhorod, Kirovohrad Oblast, Ukraine]. He was an actor, known for Svadba Krechinskogo (1908). He died on 23 June 1925 in Moscow, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia].

Konstantin Parakonyev was born on 18 September 1920 in Yelizavetgrad, Kherson Governorate [now Kropyvnytskyi, Kirovohrad Oblast], Ukraine. He was an actor, known for Povest o zhenshchine (1975), Chudak-chelovek (1962) and Semnadtsatyy transatlanticheskiy (1972). He died on 22 March 1987 in Zaporozhye, Ukrainian SSR, USSR.