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Igor Girkin

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Also known as: Igor Ivanovich Strelkov, Igor Strelkov, Igor Vsevolodovich Girkin, Sergey Runov, Sergey Viktorovich Runov

Igor Vsevolodovich Girkin, also known as Igor Ivanovich Strelkov, is a Russian military veteran and former Federal Security Service officer who played a significant role in the Russian annexation of Crimea and the subsequent conflict in eastern Ukraine, particularly in the Donbas region. His actions have led to multiple international sanctions and a life sentence in absentia for his involvement in the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17.

Early Life

Igor Girkin was born in Moscow, Russia, on 17 December 1970. He developed a strong ideological stance during his time at the Moscow State Institute for History and Archives, where he was particularly interested in military history and advocated for a return to monarchism.

In the 1990s, Girkin contributed to the right-wing newspaper Zavtra, which was associated with anti-Semitic nationalist Alexander Prokhanov. He covered various military conflicts, including the Russian war against separatists in Chechnya and Dagestan.

FSB Service

Girkin served in the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) from 1996 until his retirement in 2013, including participation in counter-terrorism operations in Chechnya. His military background includes involvement in conflicts in Moldova's breakaway region of Transnistria and the Bosnian War.

He has been linked to human rights abuses during the Chechen Wars, with allegations of forced disappearances and murders of civilians in Chechnya.

Annexation of Crimea and Donbas War

Following the Ukrainian revolution in February 2014, Girkin played a pivotal role in the annexation of Crimea. He was invited to Crimea by local pro-Russian politicians to serve as a security advisor, where he coordinated militias and was involved in the occupation of key government buildings.

On 12 April 2014, Girkin led armed militants in the capture of Sloviansk, which marked the beginning of the Donbas War. His actions in this conflict led to his appointment as Minister of Defense in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, a position from which he was later dismissed after the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17.