Contents tagged with Girkin

  • Girkin considers extradition and indictment in MH17 case possible in light of new phone call evidence

    Igor “Strelkov” Girkin, former “defense minister” of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), has admitted that the investigators of the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 catastrophe have intercepted a phone call from 2014 between him and then “prime minister” of the DPR Alexander Borodai. Girkin published his reaction to the recording on VKontakte, a Russian social network.

    The Joint Investigation Team’s (JIT) report mentions an intercepted phone call from August 13, 2014, in which …

  • Girkin confirms that militant captured by Ukrainian Security Service was commander of air defense during MH17 air disaster

    Ex-Minister of Defense of the so-called DPR (Donetsk People's Republic) Igor Girkin (Strelkov) confirmed that the Lieutenant Colonel Vladimir Tsemakh who had been captured by the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU)  in the town of Snizhne, was "the commander of the air defense" of the pro-Russia militants in July 2014.

    "Borisovich" (a nickname of Tsemakh) was the chief of  air defense in Snizhne in July-August 2014. Before that, he was the crew commander of of ZU-23-2 anti-air systems in …

  • Girkin: No militia in Donbas – only contractors

    There is no militia in the Donbas – all the fighters there are paid to fight against Ukraine, said Igor “Strelkov” Girkin, former head of the so-called the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), during an interview on Roy TV. The video was uploaded on Facebook by Anatoly “Shtefan” Shtirlitz, an officer in the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

    “They do not receive money from the treasury of the ‘republic’. They are not a ‘militia’, there is no more ‘militia’. The ‘militia’ ended after Debaltseve [battle]. They …

  • Lavrov: Russia will not give the Kuril Islands to Japan

    After the meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the Kuril Islands are and will remain Russia’s territory.

    “The sovereignty over the islands is non-negotiable. We drew attention to the fact these islands are designated as a northern territory in Japan’s legislation, which is, of course, unacceptable,” Lavrov said. 

    He pointed out that no peace agreement can be concluded if Japan does not recognize the results of World War II. 

    “I …

  • Ukrainian Security Service: Moscow Patriarchate helped Girkin prepare for annexation of Crimea

    Russia used the opportunities available to members of the Moscow Patriarchate for reconnaissance ahead of the annexation of Crimea in 2014, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) claims in an information booklet it published.

    “On March 30, 2014, the armed group of the terrorist Igor Girkin (Strelkov) conducts reconnaissance in Simferopol disguised as guards for the "Gifts of the Magi" church sanctuaries,” the handbook states.

    The authors of the booklet view this incident as one of several …

  • Former DPR leader Girkin claims his personal security was made up of monks from Sviatohirsk Lavra

    The former leader of the Donetsk People’s Republic, separatist Igor “Strelkov” Girkin stated that the monks of the Holy Dormition Sviatohirsk Lavra actively participated in the conflict in the Donbas. He admitted that his personal security was fully made up of spiritual servants, monks and hieromonks of the Sviatohirsk Lavra.

    “It [the security team] was not very big but anyway they were there. A novice of the Sviatohirsk Lavra commanded one of the units in the Slavic brigade. And this novice …

  • Girkin: Russia on brink of war with Ukraine

    Igor Girkin (Strelkov), former leader of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), said the air on Roy TV that victory in the Donbas by the Ukrainian Armed Forces would lead to a full-scale war between Ukraine and the Russian Federation.

     “We have a war with Ukraine close at hand. Everyone understands this, but the Kremlin does not want to understand this. If the Ukrainian army unexpectedly attacks and sweeps the Donbas, an inevitable domestic political crisis in Russia will follow," the Russian …

  • Former DPR leader Girkin: two Russian mercenary divisions completely destroyed by American strikes in Syria

    On his VKontakte page, former DPR separatist leader Igor “Strelkov” (Girkin) has said that Russian mercenaries working for the private military corporation Wagner have suffered huge losses in Syria. Girkin noted that the Russian leadership is hiding these losses.

    "I ask you to pay attention to those who are going to ‘go to work’ in Syria. According to information from a reliable source, there are really no ‘official Russian military’ in the impact zone targeted by the United States (it is …

  • Relatives of MH17 airline crash victims won a lawsuit against former separatist commander Girkin

    A group of the MH17 victims’ relatives won their case in US courts, which entitles them to receive compensation in the hundreds of millions of US dollars. The Dutch TV program Zembla received the relevant documents from the court.

    The lawsuit was instituted by family members of 25 victims of the MH17 catastrophe, ten of whom are Dutch citizens. A case was opened against Igor Girkin (Strelkov), who was previously the “Minister of Defense of the Donetsk People's Republic."

    The US judge issued …