sk ▁O blast . ▁Laz aren ko ' s ▁candid acy ▁was ▁nominated ▁by ▁the ▁council ▁of ▁working ▁groups ▁conference ▁of ▁the ▁D n ip rop et rov sk ▁State ▁Agr arian ▁University ▁whose ▁decision ▁was ▁supported ▁by ▁over ▁ 2 0 0 ▁groups . ▁Leon id ▁K uch ma ▁at ▁that ▁time ▁was ▁propos ing ▁another ▁candid acy ▁of ▁Val eri y ▁P ust ovo iten ko . ▁Laz aren ko ▁stayed ▁at ▁the ▁governor ▁position ▁until ▁June ▁ 1 9 9 4 . ▁Although ▁he ▁s ided ▁with ▁inc umb ent ▁K rav ch uk ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁elections ▁( J une – J uly ), ▁he ▁managed ▁to ▁establish ▁close ▁t ies ▁with ▁the ▁election ▁winner , ▁Leon id ▁K uch ma . ▁Upon ▁recommendation ▁of ▁the ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁of ▁Ukraine ▁Y ev hen ▁March uk , ▁the ▁President ▁of ▁Ukraine ▁Leon id ▁K uch ma ▁appointed ▁Pav lo ▁Laz aren ko ▁the ▁First ▁Vice ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁( in ▁Energy ▁Affairs ) ▁on ▁ 5 ▁September ▁ 1 9 9 5 . ▁As ▁the ▁government ▁official ▁in ▁energy ▁affairs , ▁he ▁was ▁charged ▁with ▁a ▁task ▁of ▁negoti ating ▁gas ▁supplies ▁with ▁Russia ▁and ▁Turk men istan . ▁Al ready ▁next ▁year ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁Ukraine ▁reported ▁no ▁deb ts ▁to ▁the ▁Russian ▁Gaz prom ▁( G as ▁Indust ries ) ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁since ▁its ▁independence . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁Laz aren ko ▁became ▁Doctor ▁of ▁Econom ic ▁Sciences