Eduard Aleksandrovich Basurin[2] (Russian: Эдуард Александрович Басурин; Ukrainian: Едуард Олександрович Басурін; born 27 June 1966) is the Deputy Defense Minister and Defense Spokesman of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) militia command,[3][4] which the Ukrainian government has designed a terrorist organization.[5]

Eduard Basurin
Эдуард Басурин
Basurin in 2015
Press Secretary of the DPR Military Command
Assumed office
14 January 2015
Preceded byoffice established
Personal details
Born (1966-06-27) 27 June 1966 (age 58)
Donetsk, Ukrainian SSR, USSR
Military service
Allegiance Donetsk People's Republic
Branch/service United Armed Forces of Novorossiya
Years of service2014–present
RankColonel[citation needed]
Unit Kalmius Brigade[1]
Battles/warsWar in Donbass

Early life

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Prior to the Russo-Ukrainian War which began in 2014, he worked for a company that produced paint.[6]

Political career

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In 2014 he served as a political commissar of the Kalmius Battalion, a paramilitary group operating under the Donetsk People's Republic organization.[1] From 2014 onwards, he has worked as press secretary, de facto spokesman for the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic.[7][8]

Basurin has been accused of repeatedly attempting to obstruct the OSCE mission in Donbas.

During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Basurin called for using chemical weapons against the defenders of Mariupol.[9] On 16 April, Ukraine's military intelligence reported that Basurin had been detained by Russia in connection to revealing chemical weapons use.[10] However, these allegations were not substantiated, and Basurin continued in his duties, prodding Ukrainian troops in Sievierodonetsk to surrender on June 13 in his official capacity as DPR military spokesman.[11]

Sanctions

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In 2015 he was sanctioned by the European Union[12] On January 9, 2016, Basurin was sanctioned under the Ukraine Designations Regarding Separatists (E.O. 13660)[13] sanctions program by the United States "For being responsible for or complicit in, or having engaged in, directly or indirectly, actions or policies that threaten the peace security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine"; "Asserting governmental authority over a part or region of Ukraine without the authorization of the Government of Ukraine; and acting for or on behalf of the previously designated, self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) or the previously designated, self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR)"

Basurin was sanctioned by the UK government in 2015 in relation to Russo-Ukrainian War. [14]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Донецкий "Кальмиус" добыл позывные украинских офицеров". Vzglyad. 17 July 2014. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  2. ^ "Резюме "Заместитель начальника цеха", Донецк. Басурин Эдуард Александрович". Work.ua. 27 September 2010. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  3. ^ "Russian, Ukrainian leaders plan to meet as more civilians die". CNN. 8 February 2015. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  4. ^ "At least 24 dead in rocket attack on Donetsk airport, say rebels". The Irish Times. 23 January 2015. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  5. ^ "Ukraine's prosecutor general classifies self-declared Donetsk and Luhansk republics as terrorist organizations - May. 16, 2014". KyivPost. 16 May 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  6. ^ Ball, Tom (15 April 2022). "Ukrainian separatists fighting for Russia join assault on Mariupol". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
  7. ^ "Нове керівництво "ДНР": що відомо про міністрів самоназваної "республіки"". hromadske.ua. 11 September 2018. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  8. ^ "Батальоны просят угля". Новая газета - Novayagazeta.ru (in Russian). 23 September 2018. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  9. ^ "Ukraine: Russia-backed separatist stirs fears of chemical weapons". Al Jazeera. 13 April 2022.
  10. ^ "Оккупанты задержали одного из главарей боевиков "ДНР" Басурина. Он раскрыл планы РФ применить химическое оружие в Мариуполе – разведка". gordonua.com. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  11. ^ "Ukrainian troops in the besieged eastern city of Sievierodonetsk must "surrender or die", a Russian-backed separatist leader in the self-proclaimed republic in Donetsk has warned". guardian.com. 13 June 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  12. ^ "Three and a half verticals: how power is structured in the LDPR". Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  13. ^ "Treasury Sanctions Individuals and Entities for Sanctions Evasion and Activities Related to the Conflict in Ukraine". U.S. Department of the Treasury. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  14. ^ "CONSOLIDATED LIST OF FINANCIAL SANCTIONS TARGETS IN THE UK" (PDF). Retrieved 16 April 2023.
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