Yuriy Yakovenko

Yakovenko is product of youth team systems of FC Arsenal Kyiv, but in July 2010 transferred to other Kyivan club Obolon. He made his debut for FC Obolon Kyiv entering as a substituted player in game against FC Chornomorets Odesa on 31 October 2011 in Ukrainian Premier League. On 27 July 2017, Yakovenko signed with Danish club Esbjerg FB. On 9 July 2021 Esbjerg confirmed, that Yakovenko, alongside three teammates, had been removed from the first team and sent down to train with the U19s. It came in the wake of a riot between players from the squad and the club's new coach, Peter Hyballa. According to Danish media, the squad was very dissatisfied with the coach's methods, describing it as Hyballa was ... photographing players in underpants, punching the players, shaming them in front of their teammates, verbal torture and a training program so hard that the injuries was rolling in. After Hyballa decided to resign, Yakovenko was promoted to the first team squad again in mid-August. He left the club as a free agent as his contract expired in December 2021. Yakovenko signed a one-year contract with recently promoted Eliteserien club HamKam on 24 February 2022.

He is the younger son of the former Ukrainian footballer and current coach Pavlo Yakovenko. His older brother Oleksandr Yakovenko is also a footballer.