Valery Bolotov

Valery Bolotov

Valery Bolotov in 2014.
People's Governor of the Luhansk People's Republic[1]
In office
18 May 2014 – 14 August 2014
Prime Minister Vasily Nikitine
Marat Bashirov (Acting)
Deputy Sergey Tsyplakov
Succeeded by Igor Plotnitsky (as President)
Personal details
Born (1970-02-13)February 13, 1970
Taganrog, Rostov oblast, Russian SFSR, USSR
(or Stakhanov, Voroshilovgrad Oblast, Ukrainian SSR)[1]
Died 27 January 2017(2017-01-27) (aged 46)
Moscow, Russia
Signature
Military service
Allegiance  Soviet Union
 Luhansk People's Republic
Service/branch Airborne Troops
Years of service 1988–90
2014–17
Rank Senior sergeant (see staff sergeant)

Valery Dmitrievitch Bolotov (Russian: Вале́рий Дми́триевич Бо́лотов; IPA: [vɐˈlʲerʲɪj ˈdmʲitrʲɪjɪvʲɪtɕ ˈbolətəf], Ukrainian: Вале́рій Дми́трович Бо́лотов; 13 February 1970 – 27 January 2017[2]) was a Russian militant leader known for his involvement in the Donbass War in eastern Ukraine, and as the leader of the unrecognized Lugansk People's Republic.

Biography

The biography of Bolotov before the 2014 is very scarce. There is a video which shows that Bolotov participated in voting at a local referendum and showed a Ukrainian passport which indicated that he was born in Taganrog, Rostov Oblast on 13 February 1970.[3] According to other sources, Bolotov was born in Stakhanov.[1] Bolotov moved to Stakhanov in the Luhansk Oblast (province) of eastern Ukraine in 1974.[4] According to the Russia Today, he held two university degrees.[5]

Bolotov claimed to be a senior sergeant of the Soviet Airborne Troops in Vitebsk (presumably the 103rd Guards Airborne Division)[lower-alpha 1] and between 1989 and 1990 participated in a number of conflicts including Tbilisi,[lower-alpha 2] Yerevan and Karabakh.[lower-alpha 3][6] He later became the head of the airborne veterans group, while no one of the Luhansk Oblast group cell can confirm it.[6] Bolotov had a wife and two children.[6]

Bolotov worked as a manager and director at a meat factory and used to run a small business.[4]

Before the pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine, Bolotov was a representative of Oleksandr Yefremov who supervised illegal mining in the region.[7]

In 2014, Bolotov became a leader of an armed group during the 2014 pro-Russian conflict in Ukraine. On May 13, 2014, Bolotov survived an assassination attempt as assailants fired automatic weapons towards his car, wounding the militant leader.[8] Bolotov was then briefly captured by the Ukrainian army on May 17 after he attempted to re-enter Lugansk following his having received treatment for his injury at a hospital in Russia.[9] However, armed supporters of the Lugansk People's Republic attacked the Ukrainian army checkpoint where Bolotov was being held shortly afterwards and successfully freed the "People's Governor".[9]

Lugansk People's Republic's Parliament elected Bolotov head of the republic on 18 May 2014.[5]

Bolotov resigned on 14 August 2014.[10]

The causes of his death are currently being investigated. Poisoning is suspected.[11]

Notes

  1. ↑ During the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (also known as the Soviet war in Afghanistan) and until fall of the Soviet Union, the division was under direct jurisdiction of the Soviet KGB
  2. ↑ April 9 tragedy
  3. ↑ Nagorno-Karabakh War

References

  1. 1 2 3 Dergchov, V. There died the first leader of LPR (Умер первый глава ЛНР Валерий Болотов). RBC. 27 January 2017
  2. ↑ http://www.rbc.ru/politics/27/01/2017/588b600e9a79476e71db84f8
  3. ↑ Video on YouTube
  4. 1 2 "Top officials appointed in Luhansk people's republic". Interfax-Ukraine. May 19, 2014. Retrieved July 7, 2014.
  5. 1 2 "Self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic elects head, passes constitution". May 19, 2014. Retrieved July 7, 2014.
  6. 1 2 3 Кто они, "народные губернаторы": Харьков возглавил автослесарь, а Луганск – десантник [Who are those, "People's Governors"? Kharkov- a mechanic, while Lugansk - a paratrooper]. Komsomolskaya Pravda (in Russian). April 23, 2014. Retrieved May 26, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Former chief of Luhansk SBU Petrulevych: The terrorists groups of Russian GRU is already in Kiev and anticipating a signal". Gordon. July 2, 2014. Archived from the original on October 14, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Pro-Russian Separatist Leader Survives Assassination Attempt in Ukraine". Mashable.com. May 13, 2014. Retrieved May 13, 2014.
  9. 1 2 "Separatists recapture their leader on the eve of peace talks in Ukraine". Reuters. May 17, 2014. Retrieved May 26, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Ukraine fighting: Rebel official resigns; shells fall on Donetsk". CNN. August 14, 2014. Retrieved August 14, 2014.
  11. ↑ http://ukropnews24.com/bolotovs-wife-suspects-that-her-husband-was-poisoned/
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