Oksana Marchenko

Good afternoon, dear readers! Today we are going to talk about one of Ukraine’s TV hosts, Oksana Marchenko. You’ve probably seen her on such popular shows as Ukraine’s Got Talent, The X Factor, The Oksana Marchenko Show, and others. But do you know what her life was like before fame, who she is related to by family ties, and what achievements she has in her career? If you want to know more about this interesting and controversial personality, stay with us and read our article.

Oksana Marchenko was born on April 28, 1973, in the village of Chabany, Kyiv region. According to her, she dreamed of becoming a doctor, but after failing to get into medical school, she changed her plans and entered the History Department of the Drahomanov Pedagogical University. During her student years, she was actively involved in the democratic movement, opposing the communist regime.In 1992, she won a competition for non-professional TV presenters and began her career in television.

Childhood and family

Oksana Marchenko grew up in an ordinary working-class family. Her father worked as a technician in a medical institution, and her mother was a kindergarten teacher. She has a younger brother, Oleksandr, who is also involved in television. She also has a maternal sister, Diana, and a paternal sister, Anna.Oksana was an active and curious child who loved to read, draw, sing, and dance.She did well at school, but was sometimes naughty.

Oksana Marchenko has been married twice. Her first husband was Yuriy Korzh, the son of politician Vitaliy Korzh. They met on the set of a TV program and got married in 1993. In 1997, they had a son, Bohdan. But they divorced a year later.

Her second husband is Viktor Medvedchuk, a prominent politician and oligarch with pro-Russian views and personal ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. They met on the set of the political talk show Vremya in 1999. In 2003, they were married in the Foros Church (UOC-MP). In 2004, they had a daughter, Daria, who is the goddaughter of Putin and Svetlana Medvedeva.

Education

Oksana Marchenko graduated with honors from the History Department of the Mykhailo Drahomanov National Pedagogical University in 1995. She holds a PhD in History for her dissertation on the History of Ukrainian Television. She has also taken courses and internships in journalism, television production, media management, psychology, marketing, and other areas.

Career

Oksana Marchenko started her career in television in 1992 when she won a contest for non-professional TV presenters. She became the face of UTAR and UT-1 TV channels, where she hosted various programs such as “Restrained Tuesdays,” “Good Morning, Ukraine!” and “UTN on Questions.” After marrying her first husband, she temporarily stopped working on TV, but returned after the birth of her son.

• In 2000, she founded Omega TV, a television company that produced programs for various channels. In 2003, she initiated the production of the documentary series “Names” dedicated to famous people whose fates intertwined with the history of Ukraine.These programs were aired on UT-1, and since 2005 – on Inter.
• In 2007, Oksana Marchenko became the author and host of The Oksana Marchenko Show, a social and entertainment project where she helped women in difficult situations. In parallel with the project, she created a charitable foundation to support women in Ukraine. In 2009, she hosted the show “Ukraine’s Got Talent” on STB, and in 2010, the large-scale singing talent show “X-Factor” on STB. This show has become one of the most successful and highest rated in the history of Ukrainian television. Oksana Marchenko demonstrated her professionalism, charisma and ability to communicate with the participants and the audience. She also impressed with her extravagant dresses and hairstyles.Oksana Marchenko was the host of The X Factor for nine seasons until she stopped working on television in 2019.
• In 2011, Oksana Marchenko became the author and host of the documentary project Pilgrimage, which was broadcast on Inter TV. In this project, she talked about her travels to various holy places, such as Jerusalem, Lourdes, Fatima, Mecca, Bodhgaya, and others. She shared her impressions, thoughts, and emotions from meeting different religions, cultures, and people. The Pilgrimage project aimed to show the audience the beauty and diversity of the spiritual world.
• In 2013, Oksana Marchenko starred in her first feature film, The Other Woman, where she played the lead role. It was a melodrama about love, betrayal and forgiveness. Oksana Marchenko played the role of Olena, who finds out that her husband has a mistress. She decides to take revenge on him, but finds herself in a difficult situation when she meets her husband’s mistress. The film The Other Woman received mixed reviews from critics and audiences alike. Some praised Oksana Marchenko’s performance, while others found it unconvincing and unprofessional.

Scandals and flight from Ukraine

Oksana Marchenko has repeatedly been in the spotlight for her political views, family ties and business interests. She openly supported her husband’s pro-Russian position, criticized the Ukrainian government, laws and reforms, and opposed European integration and NATO.She has also been accused of terrorist financing, propaganda, corruption, election interference, sanctions violations, illegal use of land and other crimes.

In February 2021, Oksana Marchenko and her husband were sanctioned by the Ukrainian authorities, who accused them of financing terrorism in Donbas and Crimea. Their property, accounts, assets and companies were frozen for three years. Oksana Marchenko responded by saying that she was joining the Opposition Platform – For Life party and threatening President Zelensky with revenge.She also mentioned that she had helped Zelensky with employment in 2003, when he was an artist.

Shortly afterwards, Oksana Marchenko left Ukraine through a checkpoint to Belarus. According to some reports, she did so on the orders of her godfather Putin, who was planning a full-scale military aggression against Ukraine. According to other sources, she fled from persecution by the SBU, which suspected her of crimes against the state. Oksana Marchenko justified her escape by saying that her life was in danger from armed men who were trying to break into her house. She also stated that she would return to Ukraine when the government changed.

Achievements

Oksana Marchenko has many achievements in her career that are recognized both in Ukraine and abroad. Here are some of them:

• She holds a PhD in history for her dissertation on the history of Ukrainian television.
• She is the author and host of more than 20 television projects, including Names, The Oksana Marchenko Show, Ukraine’s Got Talent, X-Factor, Pilgrim, and others.
• She is the founder and chairman of a charitable foundation to support women in Ukraine, which helps women in difficult life circumstances.
• She is the recipient of many awards and honors, such as Teletriumph, Television Star, TV Presenter of the Year, Woman of the Year, Golden Firebird, and others.
• She is the record holder for the number of talent shows she has hosted in Ukraine – 12 seasons of “Ukraine’s Got Talent” and 9 seasons of “X-Factor”.
• She is one of the most influential women in Ukraine according to Focus magazine.
• She is one of the richest women in Ukraine according to Novoe Vremya magazine.

Conclusion

Oksana Marchenko is a personality who has made a significant contribution to the development of Ukrainian media. She has shown her professionalism, talent, creativity and dedication to her work. She has also demonstrated her kindness, compassion and humanism by helping women in need. Oksana Marchenko is an example of a successful, strong and independent woman who is not afraid of challenges and changes. We believe that she deserves respect and admiration. We hope you found our article useful and interesting. Thank you for your attention!

Here are a few quotes by Oksana Marchenko that reflect her views on life:

• “Life is a journey, not a destination.”
• “Happiness is not what you have, but who you are.”
• “Never rest on your laurels, always move forward.”
• “Love is what makes us stronger, better, happier.”
• “Be yourself, not what others want you to be.”