Since 2015, more than a half-score of the “Donbas warlords” and other “leaders” were killed or died under mysterious circumstances. Here is a baker’s dozen of the most prominent deaths:
| Date | Position | Name | Details | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
2015-01-01 |
Head of Batman gang | Aleksandr Bednov | Ambushed and killed with the RPO-A Shmel grenade launcher |
| 2 |
2015-01-23
|
‘Mayor’ of occupied Pervomaysk | Yevgeny Ishchenko | Shot dead in Pervomaysk |
| 3 |
2015-05-23
|
Warlord of Alchevsk, head of Prizrak gang | Aleksey Mozgovoy | Wounded by a bomb then finished off with a machine gun |
| 4 | 2015-12-12 | Cossack warlord of Kadiivka | Pavel ‘Batya’ Dryomov | Killed by a car bomb |
| 5 | 2016-09-19 | Head of Oplot gang | Yevgeny Zhilin | Shot dead in a restaurant in Moscow oblast, Russia |
| 6 | 2016-09-24 | Head of the “cabinet of ministers of LNR” | Gennady Tsypkalov | “Committed suicide” in detention for “plotting a coup” in Luhansk |
| 7 | 2016-10-02 | Platoon commander, smuggler | Armen “Baggi” Bagiryan | Shot dead with an assault rifle |
| 8 |
2016-10-16
|
Leader of Sparta gang | Arsen ‘Motorola’ Pavlov | Killed by a bomb explosion in his apartment’s elevator |
| 9 | 2016-12-27 | “Minister of agriculture of LNR” | Sergey Litvin | Died in Luhansk |
| 10 | 2017-01-27 | “First head of LNR” | Valery Bolotov | Died in Moscow, poisoning is suspected |
| 11 | 2017-02-04 | Military chief of ‘LNR’ | Oleg Anashchenko | Died in a car blast in Luhansk |
| 12 | 2017-02-08 | ‘Commander’ of Somali gang | Mikhail ‘Givi’ Tolstykh | Killed with the Shmel rocket launcher in Makiivka |
| 13 | 2017‑03‑12 | One of “DNR founders” | Vladimir Makovich | Died with a “brain tumor” in Donetsk |
There are four main theories explaining the mysterious deaths of Russian warlords.
(1) As a rule, “LDNR authorities” blame Ukrainian DRGs (military subversive groups) or SBU agents for assassinations. This version is voiced on the Russian TV channels as only possible every time a warlord is killed. Ukrainian officials usually deny responsibility.
(2) Donbas pro-Ukrainian guerrillas taking revenge can be behind the killings.
(3) Infighting among the “elite” of “republics” may be the reason for murders as they seek to augment their power.
(4) Russian security services may dispose of the leaders going out of their control, who may become unwanted witnesses for Russia in future.
Our next poll is about this string of deaths in the occupied territories the question is: Who is killing separatists in the Donbas?
[socialpoll id=”2426876″]Update: Poll results.
Read more:
- Another warlord killed: Mystery grows as series of deaths in Russian-backed enclaves continues
- “LNR” separatist field commander killed in car explosion: three versions why
- Donbas warlord Motorola killed in Donetsk
- Alleged “military coup” followed by purge of “LNR” chieftains
- The attempted assassination of the “Luhansk People’s Republic” leader
- Major militant warlord killed in a coup near Luhansk
Previous poll result:
Unfortunately, our readers who voted on Twitter and Opinionstage didn’t guess what Russia would do, Russia didn’t boycott Eurovision and announced its entry.
