Lytvynenko’s scientific interests lie in radiophysics and radioastronomy. He is the founder of the scientific school of theoretical radiophysics. He founded the theory of diffraction electromagnetic wave of electromagnetic wave scattering in complex and multi-layer periodic structures, worked out a number of principally new quasioptical elements and systems of millimeter and submillimeter ranges, offered a mathematical method of consecutive specifications to solve functional equations of a different type that occur in radiophysics and electronics tasks. He is the founder of radioastronomy in Ukraine in the millimeter range of radiowaves.

Lytvynenko is the author of more than 300 scientific works, six monographs, twelve individual certificates of inventions. He is the Head of the Expert Committee of the Higher Attestation Commission (VAK) in Astronomy, a member of the Committee of the State Prizes in Ukraine in Science and Technology, the Scientific Board on Space Research of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, the Bureau of the Department of Physics and Astronomy of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, the International Astronomical Union, the European Astronomical Society, one of the founders of the Ukrainian Committee of URSI.

Titles

Honorary Member of IEEE, Merited Professor of V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University (2002), Merited Worker of Science and Technology of Ukraine (1997), Merited Worker of Space of Ukraine, Honorary Citizen of Kharkiv oblast (2013).

Awards

Laureate of State Prize of the Ukrainian SSR in Science and Technology (1987), Semion Braude Prize of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (2007), National Program “Person of the Year — 2006” in the nomination “Scientist of the Year” (2006).

Order of Badge of Honor (1986), Order of Merit, Class III (2008), Certificate of Merit of Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

In 2006, by the decision of the International Astronomical Union, the minor planet 2000NA25 was named Lytovchenko.