Andrei Purgin | |
|---|---|
Андрей Пургин | |
 Purgin in 2015 | |
| Chairman of the People's Council of the Donetsk People's Republic | |
| In office 14 November 2014 – 4 September 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Vladimir Antyufeyev |
| Succeeded by | Denis Pushilin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1972-01-26)26 January 1972 (age 53) |
| Nationality | Ukrainian |
| Political party | Donetsk Republic |
Andrei Yevgenyevich Purgin (Russian:Андрей Евгеньевич Пургин,Ukrainian:Андрій Євгенович Пургін,romanized: Andriy Yevhenovych Purhin, born 26 January 1972) is a Ukrainian pro-Russian activist, cofounder of theDonetsk Republic organization along with Aleksandr Tsurkan and Oleg Frolov. Until 4 September 2015 he was the Chairman of thePeople's Council of theDonetsk People's Republic.[2]
Born inDonetsk on 26 January 1972.[3] In 1989 he entered theDonetsk State Technical University.[3] From the early 1990s until the mid-2000s he held about 70 jobs, including trading companies, charitable organizations and the Donetsk circus.[3]
On 23 February 2005 (Soviet Army and Navy Day) Purgin participated in a protest of the Union of the Born by Revolution that established a small tent city at the Lenin Square in Donetsk. The protested issued a request consisting of 12 principles that included federalization of Ukraine, official status for the Russian language and other issues promoting the rights of the Russian-speaking population. The Donetsk District Court of Voroshilov Region ordered the tents to be removed.[4]
At the end of 2005 (6 December 2005) Purgin already headed the newly organized movementDonetsk Republic that claimed its heritage from the Sovietpuppet stateDonetsk–Krivoy Rog Soviet Republic.[3] The organization claimed to fight the "orange plague" of PresidentViktor Yushchenko.[3] It was marginal.[3]
In the winter of 2013, together with "titushky", Purgin dispersed supporters ofEuromaidan in Donetsk; but in the heat of battle titushky beat him.[3]
According to theUkrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs Purgin was arrested by theSecurity Service of Ukraine (SBU) on 19 March 2014, however, on 22 March 2014 he already was released.[citation needed] On 19 April 2014 Purgin was listed on the SBU wanted list for terrorism.[5]
In the interview to "Informbyuro" on 18 May 2014, Purgin stated that on 27 March 1994, there was a referendum in Donetsk and Luhansk regions where 90% of population voted for federalization of Ukraine.[6] He also acknowledged that the Donetsk Republic as organization included alsoNational Bolsheviks mainly inMakiivka.[6]
Purgin opposed some of the key points of the February 2015Minsk II cease-fire agreement.[7]
On 4 September 2015 Purgin was removed from the position of the Chairman of thePeople's Council of the unrecognized Donetsk People's Republic for "an attempt to disrupt a meeting of the People's Soviet and present false inflaming information".[2] He was then detained for four days for reasons unknown to him.[7] The new chairman of the Soviet becameDenis Pushilin, his deputy.[8] Pushilin denied Purgin's arrest.[9] Observers claimed Purgin's dismissal was part of efforts of the Russian government to bring the Donetsk People's Republic to heel to observe the Minsk II agreement.[7]
He was sanctioned by the UK government in 2014 in relation to theRusso-Ukrainian War.[10]
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