The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, referred to between 1991 and 1996 as the Presidium of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine was the permanent body of the Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian SSR then of the Verkhovna Rada, accountable to the Supreme Soviet in its activity, and, within the nominal limits prescribed by the Constitution of the Ukrainian SSR, performed functions of the highest state power in the Ukrainian SSR. Wikipedia