Deaths of "separatist leaders" of Ukraine's occupied territories in a nutshell, EuromaidanPress infographic. High resolution.
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.
Tags: Arsen Pavlov "Motorola", DNR (“Donetsk People’s Republic”), Donbas war (2014-present), infographics, LNR (“Luhansk People’s Republic”), Mikhail Tolstykh "Givi", News, Russo-Ukrainian War (2014-present), Valery Bolotov
anyway you shake a stick – these guys are gone and that is a good thing.
Ok, so when are the remaining “Donbas warlords” and other “leaders” gonna meet their deserved Fate? This is a reasonable start, however, this important task must be completed … by whomever, whenever and wherever. Sooner the better…
It’s called burying the evidence. Dead men tell no tales…
Can’t wait until Graham Phillips meets his ‘accident’ for revealing ruSSian tanks in Ukraine by accident. In the top two along with this sociopath. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/baf56979453e3a344d763b26df8364e7940332ad7c402003506230c22cf2ae10.jpg
The SBU and/or Ukrainian guerrillas are unlikely. It would mean that they can roam unchecked throughout the so-called LNR and DNR for two years, assassinating thugs left, right and centre at will without the FSB, GRU or any other Dwarfstanian security agency being able to apprehend even ONE agent. If true, it shows that the Dwarfstanian security forces are totally incompetent.
Or, if the SBU and/or Ukrainian guerrillas ARE responsible, they can only survive for so long with support from the local population- which would make mincemeat of Dwarfstan’s assertion that the LNR and DNR have full support of the locals.
The only possible perpetrators are FSB, GRU, or rivals (for whatever reason) within the so-called LNR and DNR.
Could not be said better, Dag. By the way, that loony Dwarfstan assertion you’ve mentioned was put to rest a long time ago by the fact that a number of Ukrainian volunteer battalions instrumental in fighting the Kremlin scum off had been formed largely from the (mostly Russophone) locals.
MMM SEEMS LOOK LIKE ALL OF THIS ASSASSINATION IT WAS INSIDE JOB