13. Viktor Yushchenko
In 2004, Ukrainian presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko was poisoned with dioxin, leaving his face severely disfigured but surviving the attempt on his life. His visible injuries became a symbol of the fierce political struggle engulfing Ukraine during the Orange Revolution. Yushchenko’s ordeal drew widespread international attention, exposing the lengths to which opponents would go and rallying support for democratic reforms in Ukraine’s turbulent political landscape.
