Vitaliy Masol was born 14 November 1928 in Olyshivka. Masol studied at the Kyiv Polytechnic Institute and graduated in 1951 with a mechanical engineering degree. Masol joined the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1956 and quickly gained political power. During his political career, Masol served as Independent Ukraine’s fourth prime minister, a Soviet Ukrainian Communist Party and government official, and head of the Commission on Housing Policy.
In 1990 Ukrainians stood up for themselves against the authoritarian Masol and demanded his resignation. Ukrainians wanted democracy, which Masol could and would not offer the country. Masol is remembered for championing Soviet ideals and communist beliefs. To this day, many believe that Masol is partly responsible for the collapse of the Soviet Union.