Igor Girkin

In this name that follows Eastern Slavic naming customs, the patronymic is Vsevolodovich and the family name is Girkin.
Igor Girkin
Игорь Гиркин
Girkin in 2015
Minister of Defence of the
Donetsk People's Republic
In office
16 May 2014 – 14 August 2014
PresidentPavel Gubarev
Prime MinisterAlexander Borodai
Alexander Zakharchenko
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byVladimir Kononov
Personal details
Born
Igor Vsevolodovich Girkin

(1970-12-17) 17 December 1970 (age 53)
Moscow, Soviet Union
Political partyAngry Patriots Club (2023)
Signature
NicknameIgor Ivanovich Strelkov
Military service
Allegiance Russia
 Transnistria
Republika Srpska
 Donetsk Republic
Branch/service Russian Ground Forces
Federal Security Service
Donbas People's Militia
RankColonel
Battles/wars

Igor Vsevolodovich Girkin (Russian: И́горь Все́володович Ги́ркин, IPA: [ˈiɡərʲ ˈfsʲevələdəvʲɪdʑ ˈɡʲirkʲɪn];[a] born 17 December 1970),[1] also known by the alias Igor Ivanovich Strelkov (Russian: И́горь Ива́нович Стрелко́в, IPA: [ˈiɡərʲ ɪˈvanəvʲɪtɕ strʲɪlˈkof]), is a Russian army veteran and former Federal Security Service (FSB) officer who played a key role in the Russian annexation of Crimea, and then in the Donbas War as an organizer of militant groups in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR).[2][3][4] In 2024 he was convicted on charges of inciting extremism. Earlier he received the life sentence in absentia in the Netherlands for his role in downing the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17.

Girkin admitted responsibility for sparking the Donbas War in eastern Ukraine when, in April 2014, he led a group of armed Russian militants who seized Sloviansk.[5] His role in the siege gained him influence and attention, and he was appointed to the position of Minister of Defense in the Donetsk People's Republic, a puppet state of Russia.[4][6] Girkin was charged with terrorism by Ukrainian authorities.[7] He has also been sanctioned by the European Union, United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, Canada and Switzerland for his leading role in the war in eastern Ukraine.[8][9]

Girkin was dismissed from his position in August 2014, after 298 civilians were killed when Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down by Russian-backed militants. Dutch prosecutors charged Girkin and three others with mass murder,[10][11][12] and issued an international arrest warrant against him.[13] Girkin admits "moral responsibility" but denies pushing the button.[14] On 17 November 2022, Girkin was found guilty for the murder of 298 people, convicted of all charges in absentia, and issued a life sentence.[15]

Girkin is a self-described Russian nationalist. After his service in the war, he returned to Russia in 2014 as a political activist, reportedly calling for the liberal part of the Russian elite to be destroyed, which would shift the power balance in favor of militarists and securocrats.[16]

During the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Girkin regained attention as a milblogger, taking a strong pro-war stance but criticizing the Russian military for what he saw as incompetence and "insufficiency".[17] In October 2022, Girkin briefly joined a volunteer unit fighting against Ukrainian forces.[18] In April 2023, Girkin, alongside some fellow Russian nationalists joined the Club of Angry Patriots, a hardline pro-war group.[19] He began criticizing Vladimir Putin for incompetence and on 21 July 2023 was arrested by Russian authorities on charges of extremism.[20] Girkin was convicted in January 2024 of inciting extremism and sentenced to four years' imprisonment.


Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).

  1. ^ Стрєлков, який насправді має інше ім'я, наказував викрасти інспекторів ОБСЄ [Strelkov, who actually has a different name, ordered to kidnap OSCE inspectors]. Українська правда (in Ukrainian). 28 April 2014. Archived from the original on 20 October 2017. Retrieved 16 June 2014.
  2. ^ "MH17 Suspect Admits 'Moral Responsibility' for Downing Jet". The Moscow Times. 20 May 2020. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  3. ^ Leonard, Peter (29 April 2014). "Meet Igor Strelkov, The Face of the Insurgency in Eastern Ukraine". The World Post. Slovyansk. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 31 January 2016. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  4. ^ a b Sonne, Paul; Shishkin, Philip (26 April 2014). "Pro-Russian Commander in Eastern Ukraine Sheds Light on Origin of Militants". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 21 April 2017. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  5. ^ Dolgov, Anna (21 November 2014). "Russia's Igor Strelkov: I Am Responsible for War in Eastern Ukraine". The Moscow Times. Archived from the original on 23 February 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  6. ^ Parker, Claire (19 June 2019). "Here's what we know about the four suspects charged with downing Flight MH17". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  7. ^ Самопроголошеному міністру оборони "ДНР" І. Стрєлкову інкримінується створення терористичної організації та вчинення терактів в Україні [Strelkova, the self-proclaimed minister of defence of the DNR terrorist organization, charged with creating and committing acts of terrorism in Ukraine]. Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine (in Ukrainian). 21 May 2014. Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 16 June 2014.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference Dahlburg was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ "Igor GIRKIN". opensanctions.org. 17 December 1970. Archived from the original on 19 April 2022. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  10. ^ "Three Russians and one Ukrainian to face MH17 murder charges". The Guardian. 19 June 2019. Archived from the original on 14 April 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  11. ^ "Investigators officially accuse 4 pro-Russian military officers of missile attack that shot down MH17". Business Insider. 19 June 2019. Archived from the original on 19 June 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  12. ^ Troianovski, Anton (19 June 2019). "Investigation into downing of Flight MH17 names four Russian, Ukrainian suspects". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 26 September 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  13. ^ "4 people charged with murder over downing of flight MH17". The Journal. 19 June 2019. Archived from the original on 8 March 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  14. ^ "MH17 Suspect Admits 'Moral Responsibility' for Downing Jet". The Moscow Times. 20 May 2020. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  15. ^ "MH17 verdicts: 2 Russians, 1 Ukrainian convicted of murders". AP NEWS. 17 November 2022. Archived from the original on 9 February 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  16. ^ Donald N. Jensen (1 October 2014). "Are the Kremlin Hardliners Winning?". Institute of Modern Russia. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
  17. ^ "Bellingcat Investigator: What helps Girkin avoid prison for his criticism of the "special operation"". odessa-journal.com. 21 July 2022. Archived from the original on 16 October 2022. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  18. ^ Cite error: The named reference :6 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  19. ^ "Russian fugitive forms 'Club of Angry Patriots' fearing military defeat in Ukraine - UPI.com". UPI. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  20. ^ Osborn, Andrew (21 July 2023). "Pro-war nationalist Putin critic Girkin charged with inciting extremism". Reuters. Retrieved 21 July 2023.