Ilya Ponomarev

In this name that follows Eastern Slavic naming customs, the patronymic is Vladimirovich and the family name is Ponomarev.

Ilya Ponomarev
Илья Пономарёв
Ilya Ponomarev appearing in a 2021 video published by Free Russia Forum
Ponomarev in 2021
Member of the State Duma
In office
24 December 2007 – 10 June 2016[a]
ConstituencyA Just Russia, Novosibirsk Oblast party list
Personal details
Born (1975-08-06) 6 August 1975 (age 49)
Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
CitizenshipUkraine (since 2019)
Political party
Other political
affiliations		Congress of People's Deputies (2022–present)
Children2
OccupationBusinessman, politician
Known forWork with Skolkovo Foundation and hi-tech parks, sole vote against annexation of Crimea, position against Russian war in Ukraine, participation in protest movement in Russia
Military service
Allegiance Ukraine
Branch/service Territorial Defense Forces
Years of service2022–present
Battles/wars

Ilya Vladimirovich Ponomarev[b] (Russian: Илья́ Влади́мирович Пономарёв, Ukrainian: Ілля Володимирович Пономарьов, romanized: Illia Volodymyrovych Ponomariov; born 6 August 1975) is a Russian-Ukrainian politician who was a member of the Russian State Duma from 2007 to 2016.

He was the only member of the State Duma not to vote in favour of the Russian gay propaganda law (he abstained) and to vote against Russia's annexation of Crimea in March 2014.[2][3] In 2015, while in the United States, Ponomarev was formally charged in Russia with embezzlement, which he called politically motivated.[4] In 2016, he was impeached for not performing his duties, and he went into exile in Ukraine, where he obtained Ukrainian citizenship in 2019.[5][6][7]

Following the start of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ponomarev stated that he had joined Ukraine's Territorial Defense Forces,[8][9] and he denounced the invasion.[10][8][9] Ponomarev also endorsed acts of sabotage and arson in Russia,[11][12] and launched a Russian-language opposition television channel called February Morning (Russian: Утро Февраля, romanized: Utro Fevralya).[13][14][15][16] Following the killing of Darya Dugina, Ponomarev has claimed to have been in contact with a hitherto-unknown group called the National Republican Army which he said claimed responsibility for the killing.[17][18][19] He claims not to be a member but a supporter who is trusted to receive press releases.[20][21] Ponomarev's claims have been treated by observers with scepticism.[22][23][24]

Ponomarev is the author of the book, Does Putin Have to Die?: The Story of How Russia Becomes a Democracy after Losing to Ukraine, released 4 October 2022 by Skyhorse Publishing.[25]


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  1. ^ ""Irpin Declaration" on the Cooperation of the Russian opposition against Putin's regime". Kyiv Post. September 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  2. ^ Gorelova, Anastasia (25 March 2014). "Russian deputy isolated after opposing Crimea annexation". Reuters. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
  3. ^ Antonova, Maria (May–June 2014). "Unanimous Russia: Crimea Marks Open Season on Enemies". Russian Life. 57 (3). Archived from the original on 29 January 2019. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
  4. ^ "Russia accuses deputy who opposed Crimea seizure of embezzlement". Reuters. 24 June 2015.
  5. ^ Putin's Nemesis Dmitry Gudkov Dishes On His Achilles’ Heel, The Daily Beast (8 April 2016)
  6. ^ "Екс-депутат Держдуми РФ дав слідству свідчення у справі Януковича" [Ex-deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation testifies in the investigation of the Yanukovych case]. Ukrainska Pravda (Ukrainian: Українська правда) (in Ukrainian). 27 December 2016. Archived from the original on 29 December 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference :5 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference :3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ 'Unfortunately, I was right': Russian politician-turned-dissident speaks out, CNN, 29 March 2022, retrieved 24 August 2022
  11. ^ "Заикнулись о вооруженной борьбе. "Спектр" понаблюдал за антивоенной конференцией Форума свободной России в Вильнюсе". Спектр-Пресс (in Russian). Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference :6 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference :7 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference :8 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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  16. ^ Cite error: The named reference :4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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  21. ^ ""Мы находимся на войне". Илья Пономарев о неизвестной до убийства Дугиной "НРА" и своей роли в ней". Спектр-Пресс (in Russian). Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  22. ^ Cite error: The named reference :12 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  23. ^ Nobody had previously ever heard of the National Republican Army: Prof. Sergey Radchenko | DW | 22.08.2022, Deutsche Welle, retrieved 23 August 2022
  24. ^ Owen, Andy (24 August 2022). "As Ukraine marks its independence, Russia's war now haunts the streets of Moscow". The New European. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  25. ^ "Does Putin Have to Die?". Skyhorse Publishing. Retrieved 24 August 2022.