Pavel Gubarev

In this name that follows Eastern Slavic naming customs, the patronymic is Yuryevich and the family name is Gubarev.
Pavel Gubarev
Павел Губарев
Gubarev in 2014
Born
Pavel Yuryevich Gubarev

(1983-02-10) 10 February 1983 (age 41)
Sievierodonetsk,[1] Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
CitizenshipRussia
Alma materUniversity of Donetsk
Political partyNew Russia Party (since 2014)
Progressive Socialist Party (before 2014)
Russian National Unity (before 2014)
Other political
affiliations		Angry Patriots Club (since 2023)
SpouseEkaterina Gubareva
ChildrenTwo sons, one daughter

Pavel Yuryevich Gubarev (Russian: Павел Юрьевич Губарев, pronounced [ˈpavʲɪl ˈjʉrʲjɪvʲɪdʑ‿ˈɡubərʲɪf]; Ukrainian: Павло Юрійович Губарєв, romanized: Pavlo Yuriiovych Hubariev; born 10 February 1983) is a Ukrainian-born Russian public figure, primarily known for his pro-Russian activities in Donbas in 2014. He is married to Ekaterina Gubareva.

Early life

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Gubarev gained a degree in history from Donetsk National University, and later became an employee of a Donetsk advertising agency.[1] In 2007, he founded and served as the company director of the "Morozko" company, which supplied Ded Moroz (Santa Claus) figures for hire in the Donetsk area.[2][3]

Career and activities

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Before the Russo–Ukrainian War

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In the late 90s, Gubarev was a member of the Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine, a pro-Russian party based in the southeast of the country.[4][5] According to an unnamed acquaintance, Gubarev advocated Pan-Slavism.[4] Between 1999-2001, Gubarev was a member of the neo-Nazi Russian National Unity paramilitary group, that later took part in the War in Donbas on the side of pro-Russian forces.[6][7][8][9] Gubarev has publicly given thanks to this group for providing him with military training. In the same interview he said he was not a radical nationalist and described himself as "centre-left".[10]

Separatist Political Career

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Main article: 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine

On 1 March 2014, pro-Russian citizens at a meeting in Lenin Square in the center of Donetsk elected Gubarev as governor of the region.[11] On 3 March 2014, Gubarev led pro-Russian protesters who blockaded and occupied the Donetsk Regional State Administration building.[12] During a press-conference with journalists on 6 March 2014, Gubarev stated that his main goal as the self-proclaimed governor was to declare a referendum on the territorial status of Donetsk Oblast, non-recognition of the new Ukrainian government, and non-recognition of Donetsk governor Serhiy Taruta.[13]

On 6 March 2014, the Security Service of Ukraine arrested Gubarev.[14] Following his arrest, Gubarev was reportedly taken to Kyiv for detention.[15] He was later charged with wanting to damage "the territorial integrity and independence of the state".[16] On 16 March, a crowd of pro-Russian protesters stormed government buildings in Donetsk demanding Gubarev's release.[17] On 7 May 2014, Gubarev and two other pro-Russian activists were freed in exchange for SBU officers, detained earlier by the Donbas People's Militia.[18][19] Gubarev appeared in then separatist-held Slavyansk to give a defiant speech on Victory Day, calling for all 'Ukrainian Nazis to be eliminated'. [20]

However, in the time of his detention, other senior separatist figures had emerged, notably Igor Girkin, and Alexander Borodai, meaning that freed, Gubarev had an uncertain position in the separatist hierarchy going forward. [21] With Borodai serving as Donetsk People's Republic Prime Minister, and Gubarev's 'People's Governor' post largely superseded, Gubarev took to mostly engaging himself in media activities, being effectively sidelined from any meaningful role in DPR affairs.[22] Gubarev was sanctioned by the United Kingdom on 25 July 2014 in relation to his actions from earlier in 2014.[23]

In October 2014, Gubarev's car came under gunfire in a planned attack. Gubarev lost control of the car, and sustained a head injury in the resulting crash.[24][25] Gubarev had planned to stand in November's 2014 Donbas parliamentary elections representing his Novorossiya party, however he excluded by the election commission from participating "because his party was not able to hold a founding conference".[22] This exclusion from the ballot effectively marked the end of Gubarev as a key player in the Donbas political scene.

After some time away from public life, in February 2016 Gubarev was appointed Yasynuvata Raion mayor by the Donetsk People's Republic. Although some reported this as Gubarev's 'comeback', he would only hold this position for a few months.[26] Following the death of Alexander Zakharchenko, on 31 August 2018, elections were planned in the Donetsk People's Republic for a new leader, and Gubarev stated his intention of standing as a candidate for the post of head of the Donetsk People's Republic.[27][28] However, Gubarev was excluded from standing after being accused of having forged signatures on his nomination papers, with it said that his candidacy had displeased Denis Pushilin, who at that time was acting head of the DNR, and favourite to take the post permanently, which he duly did.[29] This effectively marked the end of Gubarev's political career in the DNR. His wife Ekaterina's political career would continue in Russian-controlled territories following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[30]

Full-scale invasion of Ukraine

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          Those are Russian people, who are possessed. We aren't coming to kill you, but to convince you. But if you don't want us to convince you, we'll kill you. We'll kill as many as necessary: 1 million, 5 million, or exterminate all of you.

— Pavel Gubarev[31]

In 2022, Gubarev signed a short-term contract with the Russian Armed Forces, as a private, in order to participate in the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[32] During his service there, he declared in an interview their goal to free from "possession" those who he considers to be Russians, even at the cost of killing them all, which would amount to genocide on Ukrainians.[31]

In May 2023, Gubarev became one of the leaders of the newly-founded Russian pro-war ultranationalist group the Club of Angry Patriots.[33]

In November 2023 Gubarev, publicising his new autobiography, spoke to Russian bloggers in interview. Gubarev spoke in detail on how the Donetsk People's Republic was created and managed under full control of Moscow represented by Vladislav Surkov, with local members of the criminal fraternity appointed as its "officials", such as Alexander Zakharchenko.[34][35]

References

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  1. ^ a b Самопроголошений губернатор Донеччини Павло Губарєв: еполети, сталінізм та "еллінські традиції" [The self-proclaimed governor of Donetsk Pavel Gubarev: epaulettes, Stalinism and "Hellenic tradition"]. The Ukrainian Week (in Ukrainian). 7 March 2014. Archived from the original on 7 March 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  2. ^ "Донецкий "народный губернатор" работал Дедом Морозом по вызову" [Donetsk's "people's governor" worked as a Santa Claus for hire] (in Russian). 14 March 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
  3. ^ "Ukraine:'People's governor' worked as Santa-for-hire". BBC News. 13 May 2014. Archived from the original on 14 May 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  4. ^ a b "Pro-Russian Gubarev, a symbol of east Ukraine separatism". 10 March 2014. Archived from the original on 11 March 2014. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
  5. ^ Germain Moyon (9 March 2014). "Pro-Russian Gubarev, a symbol of east Ukraine separatism". Digital Journal. AFP. Archived from the original on 17 April 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  6. ^ Snyder, Timothy (17 March 2014). "Far-Right Forces are Influencing Russia's Actions in Crimea". The New Republic. Archived from the original on 17 March 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  7. ^ Coynash, Halya (18 March 2014). "Far-Right Recruited as Crimea Poll Observers". Institute for War and Peace Reporting. Archived from the original on 8 April 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  8. ^ Oleksiy Matsuka and Vitaliy Sizov (10 April 2014). "Russia's deep ties to Donetsk's Kremlin collaborators". Kyiv Post. Archived from the original on 13 April 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  9. ^ "Кремлевские неонацисты консультируют сепаратистов в Украине для расширения империи" [Kremlin-oriented neo-Nazis advise separatists in Ukraine on expanding their empire]. TSN. 10 April 2014. Archived from the original on 13 April 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  10. ^ "Павел Губарев: Я благодарен РНЕ за военную подготовку" [I'm grateful to PNE for the military aid]. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  11. ^ В Донецке задержан "народный губернатор" Губарев ['People's Governor' Gubaryev held in Donetsk]. RBK (in Russian). РосБизнесКонсалтинг. 6 March 2014. Archived from the original on 13 April 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  12. ^ Kushch, Lina (3 March 2014). "Pro-Russia protesters occupy regional government in Ukraine's Donetsk". Reuters. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  13. ^ "Donetsk's self-proclaimed separatist governor talks to journalists, gets arrested". Kyiv Post. 6 March 2014. Archived from the original on 8 March 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  14. ^ Damien McElroy (6 March 2014). "Pro-Russian leader arrested in Donetsk as Kiev hits back". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 9 March 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  15. ^ "Pro-Russian Protest Leader In Eastern Ukraine Said Taken To Kyiv". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 6 March 2014. Archived from the original on 1 December 2008. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  16. ^ Lina Kushch (6 March 2014). "Ukrainian flag again flies over Donetsk regional HQ". Reuters. Archived from the original on 11 March 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  17. ^ "Ukraine crisis: Pro-Russians flock to Crimea vote". BBC News. 16 March 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  18. ^ "Donetsk people's governor Pavel Gubarev freed in exchange for SBU officers". ITAR-TASS. 7 May 2014. Archived from the original on 8 May 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  19. ^ "Пленных сотрудников Альфы обменяли на трех лидеров сепаратистов - СБУ" [The Alfa workers taken captive were exchanged for 3 separatist leaders]. UNIAN. 7 May 2014. Archived from the original on 9 September 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  20. ^ "Народный губернатор Донецкой республики Павел Губарев:"Дадим отпор фашистской нечести!"" [We'll repel the fascist scum]. 9 May 2014. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  21. ^ "Премьер-министром ДНР стал россиянин Александр Бородай". Mk.ru. 16 May 2014. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  22. ^ a b ":Дадут ли Новороссии сделать выбор?" [Will Novorossia be given a choice?]. Moskovskij Komsomolets (in Russian). 31 October 2014. Archived from the original on 2 November 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
    Oleg Sukhov (1 November 2014). "A prelude to a farce: Prearranged ballots for Kremlin-backed breakaway regions". Kyiv Post. Archived from the original on 3 November 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  23. ^ "CONSOLIDATED LIST OF FINANCIAL SANCTIONS TARGETS IN THE UK" (PDF). Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  24. ^ "East Ukraine rebel leader Gubarev unconscious after ambush". BBC News. 13 October 2014. Archived from the original on 13 October 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  25. ^ "Yekaterina Gubareva writes on Pavel Gubarev's page in Facebook". Novorossia News Agency. 14 October 2014. Archived from the original on 5 November 2014. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  26. ^ "Ukraine's eastern separatist leaders turn on each other". New Eastern Europe. 3 March 2016. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
  27. ^ "Боевики на Донбассе назначили "выборы"" [Militants in the Donbas call "elections"], Ukrayinska Pravda, 7 September 2018
  28. ^ Kazanskyi, Denys (8 October 2018), "The danger of wanting to be boss, What to expect from "elections" in Donetsk and Luhansk", The Ukrainian Week, retrieved 10 October 2018
  29. ^ "Боевики ОРДО не пустили на "выборы" своего "народного губернатора"" [ORDO Militants disallowed the "election" of their "people's governor"], Ukrayinska Pravda}, 6 October 2018, retrieved 26 May 2024
  30. ^ Roscoe, Matthew (2022-11-16). "Kherson Region deputy head Ekaterina Gubareva reportedly missing". Euro Weekly News. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  31. ^ a b "DPR separatist Pavel Gubarev vows to 'exterminate' all Ukrainians who refuse to join Russia". Independent. 12 October 2022. Retrieved 2022-10-12.
  32. ^ "Мнение: Павел Губарев под Киевом". ryb.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2022-03-26.
  33. ^ Faulconbridge, Guy (2023-05-13). "Pro-war nationalists say they are entering Russian politics to counter turmoil". Reuters. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
  34. ^ То что мы 10 лет твердили! Губарев слил дыныры, Суркова и всю кремлевскую ОПГ, retrieved 28 November 2023
  35. ^ "ДНР создавали люди Януковича, это было не за идею а за деньги!" Губарев раскрыл всю правду про 2014, retrieved 28 November 2023
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