Anna Ushenina is a Ukrainian chess Grandmaster who was born in Kharkiv on August 30, 1985. She won the Women's World Chess Championship in 2012, thereby becoming the first Ukrainian woman to achieve this feat. Ushenina earned her International Master (IM) title in 2002 and became a Grandmaster (GM) in 2007.
In 2001, Ushenina won the World Youth Championship for girls under 16. She was the winner of the 2006 Ukrainian Women's Championship, a feat she repeated in 2019. She represented her country in multiple Chess Olympiads, helping the Ukrainian team to secure gold in 2006 and silvers in 2004, 2008, and 2010.
In June 2020, Ushenina finished as Runner-up in the inaugural Women's Speed Chess Championship Online. She also won the Women's European Blitz Championship in 2020. Throughout her career, she has consistently been among the top female players in the world. Notably, Ushenina reached a peak world ranking of number 17 for women in July 2007.
Furthermore, she is known for her technical skill, and her games often feature complex strategic plans and ingenious tactical solutions. Thus, Ushenina has made significant contributions to the popularisation of chess in Ukraine and globally.