Igor Girkin may be fighting in Ukraine: $50,000 reward offered for his capture
KATERYNA TYSHCHENKO — SUNDAY, 16 OCTOBER 2022, 12:21
Igor Girkin (Strelkov), the former "minister of defence of the Donetsk People’s Republic" and a former leader of Donetsk militants, has apparently joined pro-Russian forces to fight against Ukraine. Tens of thousands of dollars have already been promised for his capture.
Source: Serhii Sternenko, Taras Topolia, Valerii Markus, Serhii Stakhovskyi and Serhii Haidai on social media
Details: On Saturday, Girkin's wife, Myroslava Reginskaya, posted a photo of them together, featuring the Russian proxy militant dressed in a military uniform. When asked where Girkin is and whether he is doing okay, she answered that everything is fine and he will be back in touch soon.
After the post, Ukrainian activist Serhii Sternenko tweeted that he will pay a US$10,000 reward from his personal savings to whoever captures Girkin.
Дам з особистих заощаджень 10 000 доларів тому, хто візьме гіркіна у полон. pic.twitter.com/TIHaodLEra
— Serhii Sternenko ✙ (@sternenko) October 15, 2022Advertisement:
Taras Topolia, frontman of the band Antitila, said he would add another US$10,000 to the pledge.
Writer and soldier Valerii Markus also promised another US$10,000 to add to the reward fund.
Tennis player Serhii Stakhovskyi and Serhii Haidai, the head of Luhansk Oblast Military Administration, have also joined the initiative, each offering US$10,000.
Thus, as of Sunday morning, US$50,000 has already been promised if Girkin is taken alive.
"I feel that some Buryats just might bring him to us in a car boot" is how Serhii Sternenko summarised the matter.
Previously: Igor Girkin (Strelkov) was detained in occupied Crimea on 13 August when he was travelling to the war in Ukraine with forged documents.
He later claimed that he would still go to fight in Ukraine, "but not right now."
Background:
- In 2014, Girkin along with a group of pro-Russian militants seized government buildings in Sloviansk. Following these events, "Alfa" unit of the Security Service of Ukraine was executed near Sloviansk. Hostilities also broke out during this period.
- Since Sloviansk was entirely encircled by the Anti-terrorist Operation forces on the night of July 5, 2014, Girkin and the militants fled to Donetsk.
- Later, Girkin accused the assistant of the President of the Russian Federation, Vladislav Surkov, that he had to renounce the powers of the "minister of defence" of the unrecognised "Donetsk People’s Republic" and flee to the Russian Federation.
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