. ▁ ▁Prime ▁minister ▁On ▁ 2 8 ▁May ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁K uch ma ▁confirmed ▁Laz aren ko ▁as ▁the ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁of ▁Ukraine ▁within ▁the ▁powers ▁st ip ulated ▁by ▁the ▁current ▁" Const itution al ▁Ag re ement ". ▁On ▁ 1 0 ▁July ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁less ▁than ▁two ▁weeks ▁after ▁adopt ing ▁a ▁new ▁Constitution ▁of ▁Ukraine , ▁the ▁Ver kh ov na ▁R ada ▁approved ▁the ▁appointment ▁of ▁prime - minister . ▁On ▁ 1 6 ▁July ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁Laz aren ko ▁surv ived ▁an ▁attempt ▁on ▁his ▁life ▁when ▁a ▁bomb ▁expl oded ▁near ▁his ▁blocked ▁car ▁en ▁route ▁from ▁K iev ▁to ▁B ory sp il ▁air port . ▁ ▁While ▁in ▁charge ▁of ▁the ▁Cab inet , ▁Laz aren ko ▁reported ly ▁exerc ised ▁control ▁over ▁many ▁luc r ative ▁business ▁projects ▁and ▁spec ul atively ▁charged ▁ 5 0 ▁percent ▁of ▁prof its ▁for ▁his ▁patron age . ▁At ▁that ▁time , ▁he ▁maintained ▁a ▁close ▁business ▁relationship ▁with ▁Y ul ia ▁T ym os hen ko , ▁then ▁the ▁CE O ▁of ▁Y ed yn i ▁Ener g os ystem y ▁Uk ray iny ▁( Un ited ▁Energy ▁Systems ▁of ▁Ukraine ), ▁a ▁mon opol y ▁that ▁imported ▁Russian ▁natural ▁gas . ▁ ▁Laz aren ko ▁was ▁involved ▁in ▁a ▁prolong ed ▁and ▁bitter ▁struggle ▁for ▁economic ▁dom ination ▁with ▁the ▁emer ging ▁" Don et sk ▁cl an " ▁( an ▁industrial