Andrei Purgin
Andrei Purgin is a Russian terrorist, cofounder of the Donetsk Republic illegal organization along with Aleksandr Tsurkan and Oleg Frolov. Until 4 September 2015 he was the "chairman" of the People's Soviet of the (disputed) Donetsk People's Republic.[1]
Biography
Born in Donetsk, Purgin was not known until after the Orange Revolution in Ukraine when on 23 February 2005 (Soviet Army and Navy Day), he 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.[2]
At the end of 2005 (6 December 2005) Purgin already headed the newly organized movement that claimed its heritage from the Soviet puppet state Donetsk–Krivoy Rog Soviet Republic.
Supposedly Purgin was arrested by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) on 19 March 2014, however, on 22 March 2014 he already was released. On 19 April 2014 Purgin was listed on the SBU wanted list for terrorism.[3]
In the interview to "Informbyuro" on May 18, 2014 Purgin stated that on March 27, 1994, there was a referendum in Donetsk and Luhansk regions where 90% of population voted for federalization of Ukraine.[4] He also acknowledged that the Donetsk Republic as organization included also National Bolsheviks mainly in Makiivka.[4]
On 4 September 2015 he was removed from the position of the Chairman of the People's Soviet of the unrecognized Donetsk People's Republic for "an attempt to disrupt a meeting of the People's Soviet and present false inflaming information".[1] The new chairman of the Soviet became Denis Pushilin, his deputy.[5]
References
- ^ a b "Спикер народного совета ДНР Андрей Пургин отправлен в отставку". Interfax. 4 September 2015.
- ^ Kurtsanovskaya, A. Union of the Born by Revolution: "Pora" terrorizes Donbas - interview. Novosti Donbassa. 24 March 2005
- ^ Profile at the Ministry of Internal Affairs website.
- ^ a b Andrei Purgin: we think for the process of gaining political and economical independence of Donbas to be the least difficult. Informbyuro. 18 May 2014
- ^ "Пушилин возглавил парламент ДНР". Interfax. 4 September 2015.