Ukrainian intelligence announced a $100,000 bounty on the head of Igor “Strelkov” Girkin, the central leader of the 2014 pro-Russian Donbas uprising.
The Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Military Defense of Ukraine (GUR) released a statement on its website offering a significant payment to anyone who delivers Girkin to Ukraine’s captivity. The former Russian military intelligence officer was long blacklisted from returning to Ukraine, serving instead as a military commentator on the “Special Military Operation,” becoming one of the Russian leadership’s fiercest critics for its mishandling of the invasion. His blacklisting was reversed within the last week, and he has reportedly been given the post of deputy battalion commander.
“The Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine guarantees the payment of $100,000 for the handover of Igor Girkin (Strelkov) to Ukrainian captivity,” a statement on the website of the GUR read. “It is known that one of the most famous Russian terrorists has decided to renew his participation in the war against our state.”
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Girkin started the 2014 war in the Donbas region when he led a group of Russian and Ukrainian militants to seize the Donetsk city of Sloviansk on April 12 that year. When speaking of combat operations in the early days of the war with Zavtra newspaper, he portrayed himself as largely responsible for the actions of the pro-Russian side. He then served as defense minister of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic before leaving the position later that year. Girkin said he was made to resign over disagreements with the Kremlin, resulting in threats to cut off his supplies, according to the liberal dissident Boris Nemtsov’s report on the war, “Putin. The War.”
Girkin has been active on social media, running a Telegram channel with 750,000 followers, filled with criticism of the Russian leadership throughout the war. He went dark on Monday, drawing suspicions that authorities had finally silenced him — until a post from his wife on Saturday showing him in combat fatigues and saying he would “be in touch soon.”
“Operation Z: War Correspondents of the Russian Spring,” a popular Russian nationalist Telegram channel with over 1.1 million followers, claimed that Girkin was headed to the front as a deputy battalion commander, on the condition that he cease his postings on social media.
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Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine will be the sixth war in which he has participated, following those in Transnistria, Bosnia, two in Chechnya, and now two in Ukraine, according to his interview with Zavtra. Ukrainian and Western officials have accused Girkin of a slew of war crimes, including, “terrorist activities, torture, murder and violation of state sovereignty,” according to the GUR. He is also wanted in the Netherlands for his alleged role in the downing of MH17.
