Denis Pushilin

Denis Vladimirovich Pushilin (Russian: Дени́с Влади́мирович Пуши́лин, pronounced [dʲɪˈnʲis vɫɐˈdʲimʲɪrəvʲɪtɕ pʊˈʂɨlʲɪn]; Ukrainian: Денис Володимирович Пушилін; Denys Volodymyrovych Pushylin; born 9 May 1981[1]) is the former Chairman of the People's Council (Speaker of parliament) of the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic (2015–2018), and therefore, under the draft Constitution adopted in May 2014, the self-declared republic's head of state. On 7 September 2018 (after his predecessor Alexander Zakharchenko was killed in a bomb blast),[2] Pushilin was appointed acting Head of the DPR; a position which he held until elections on 11 November 2018.[3]

In this Eastern Slavic name, the patronymic is Vladimirovich and the family name is Pushilin.

Denis Pushilin
Head of the Donetsk People's Republic
Assumed office
20 November 2018
Acting: 7 September 2018–20 November 2018
Prime MinisterHimself (Acting)
Alexander Ananchenko (Acting)
Preceded byAlexander Zakharchenko
Dmitry Trapeznikov (Acting)
Prime Minister of the Donetsk People's Republic
Acting
In office
7 September 2018 – 18 October 2018
Preceded byDmitry Trapeznikov (Acting)
Succeeded byAlexander Ananchenko (Acting)
Chairman of the People's Council of the Donetsk People's Republic
In office
4 September 2015 – 14 September 2018
Preceded byAndrei Purgin
Succeeded byOlga Makeeva
Vice Chairman of the People's Council of the Donetsk People's Republic
In office
14 November 2014 – 4 September 2015
Permanent Representative of the People's Democratic Republic at the negotiations of the tripartite contact group in Minsk
In office
9 November 2014 – 12 September 2018
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byNataliya Nikonorova
Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Donetsk People's Republic
In office
15 May 2014 – 18 July 2014
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byVladimir Makovych (Acting)
Personal details
Born (1981-05-09) 9 May 1981
Makiivka, Donetsk Oblast, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union[1]
NationalityUkrainian
Political partyDonetsk Republic
Spouse(s)Elena Pushilina
Children2
Signature

Biography

Ukrainian media claimed that Pushilin's highest stage of formal education is secondary education.[1][4] According to his (November 2013) autobiography at the Central Election Commission of Ukraine, in May 2014 Russia's ITAR-TASS (news agency) reported Pushilin had graduated from the Donbass Academy of Civil Engineering and Architecture.[4][5]

Prior to his political activism, Pushilin worked for a recent successor of the 1990s Russian Ponzi scheme company MMM, which cost its customers millions of dollars before it was disbanded in 1994.[6][7] Pushilin never denied involvement in such schemes and affirmed that "pyramid schemes were legal in Russia at the time".

As a member of the "We Have One Goal" party Pushilin failed to win a seat in the 15 December 2013 repeat elections of the 2012 Ukrainian parliamentary election in simple-majority constituencies number 94 (located in Obukhiv) because got only 0.08% of the votes.[8][9] Pushilin's (only 1 page long) election program did not contain any statement on a wanted change of Ukraine's current borders.[1][4] According to his election information, in December 2013 Pushilin was "temporarily not working".[1][4] On 19 May 2014 Pushilin became the self-declared Chairman of the Supreme Council (Speaker of parliament) of the Donetsk People's Republic, and therefore, under the draft Constitution adopted on May 15, the self-declared republic's head of state.

Denis Pushilin, the self-proclaimed chairman of the republic stated that he does not envision the Donetsk People's Republic becoming an independent state, instead preferring to join a renewed Russian Empire.[10]

Pushilin has survived two assassination attempts so far, both occurring within a week on the 7th[11] and 12th of June 2014. Pushilin was in Moscow on those dates, as was widely reported at the time.[12]

While in Moscow in June 2014, Pushilin announced that enterprises in the areas claimed as the Donetsk People's Republic refusing to pay taxes to the republic would be nationalized.[13]

According to the Interfax agency, on 18 July 2014, Pushilin resigned from his post of the Chairman of the Donetsk People's Republic.[14]

From 14 November 2014 to 4 September 2015, he served as a Vice-Chairman of the Donetsk People's Republic Council then he replaced Andrei Purgin and became the Chairman of the Council once again.[15]

On 31 August 2018, DPR leader Alexander Zakharchenko was killed by a bomb in a restaurant in Donetsk.[2] On 7 September 2018, Pushilin was appointed acting Head of the DPR; it was said he would hold this position until elections on 11 November 2018.[3]

References
  1. Денис Пушилін: Мажоритарні округи Київська область Округ №94 [Denis Pushylin: Majority districts Kyiv oblast District №94] (in Ukrainian). nbnews.com.ua. 2013. Archived from the original on 6 July 2015. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  2. "Pro-Russian rebel leader killed in eastern Ukraine blast". The Washington Post. 31 August 2018.
  3. Парламент ДНР сменил исполняющего обязанности главы республики. Meduza (in Russian). Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  4. (in Ukrainian) Short bio of candidate Pushilin Archived 15 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine, Central Election Commission of Ukraine
  5. Newly formed Donetsk Republic elects parliament speaker, ITAR-TASS (15 May 2014)
  6. Financial Times, Donetsk governor battles to restore order, by John Reed, 26/27 April 2014, p5.
  7. Ukrayinska Pravda, Глава уряду самопроголошеної Донецької народної республіки: "Зараз мені ніколи займатися МММ" [The head of government of the self-proclaimed People's Republic of Donetsk: "Now I have no time to engage with MMM"], by Екатерина Сергацкова [Ekaterina Sergatskova], 15 April 2014.
  8. Stephanie Höppner (20 April 2014). "Unknown takes separatist spotlight in Ukraine". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  9. (in Ukrainian) Results in single-member district 94 in 2013 repeat election, NB News
  10. ""We want to join a Russian Empire:" Discussion with the Leader of the Donetsk People's Republic". Center on Global Interests. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  11. "В Донецке совершено покушение на председателя "Верховного совета ДНР" Пушилина, его помощник убит" [Assassination attempt in Donetsk on the chairman of the "Supreme Council of the DPR" Pushilin, his assistant killed] (in Russian). RBK Ukraine (РБК-Україна). 7 June 2014.
  12. Dmitry Tymchuk (14 June 2014). "Dmitry Tymchuk's military blog: No end to Kremlin cynicism". Kyiv Post. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  13. "Pushilin: Donetsk enterprises refusing to pay taxes to budget of Donetsk People's Republic will be nationalized". Kyiv Post. Interfax. 14 June 2014. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  14. "Денис Пушилин ушел в отставку". Газета.Ru. 18 July 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
  15. Пушилин возглавил парламент ДНР [Pushilin led DPR parliament astray] (in Russian). Interfax. 4 September 2015. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
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