Leonid Pasechnik

Leonid Ivanovich Pasechnik (Russian: Леонид Иванович Пасечник, Ukrainian: Леонід Іванович Пасічник; Leonid Ivanovych Pasichnyk; born 15 March 1970) is the leader of the self-proclaimed state Luhansk People's Republic. Minister of State Security of the LPR from 9 October 2014 to 28 November 2017.[1][2][3][4]

Leonid Pasechnik
Леонид Иванович Пасечник
Леонід Іванович Пасічник
Head of the Luhansk People's Republic
Assumed office
21 November 2018
Acting: 24 November 2017-21 November 2018
Prime MinisterSergey Kozlov
Preceded byIgor Plotnitsky
Minister of Security Service
In office
9 October 2014 – 28 November 2017
PresidentHimself
Preceded bypost created
Personal details
Born (1970-03-15) 15 March 1970
Voroshilovgrad, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
AwardsMedal For Military Service to Ukraine
Military service
Allegiance Ukraine
 Luhansk People's Republic
Branch/service Security Service of Ukraine (SBU)
Ministry of State Security of the Luhansk People's Republic
Years of service2014–2017
RankMajor General (MSS of the LPR)

Biography

Pasechnik's father worked in law enforcement,[4] for the OBKhSS, for 26 years.[3][4] In 1975 the Pasechnik family moved to Magadan in the Russian Far East[4] where Pasechnik's father was associated with gold mine operations.[3]

Pasechnik graduated the Donetsk Military-Political College and worked for the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) in Luhansk Oblast as a chief of a detachment combating contraband operations[4] and the chief of the Stakhanov district detachment.[3] On 15 August 2006 he became famous for intercepting large quantities of contraband at Izvaryne border checkpoint ($1.94 mln and 7.24 mln Russian rubles), at the same time refusing a bribe out of principle.[3][4]

In March 2007 SBU Lieutenant Colonel Pasechnik received from the Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko a medal For Military Service to Ukraine, "for showing integrity and professionalism in the line of duty".[3]

In 2014 he sided with pro-Russian militants, becoming on 9 October 2014 a minister of State Security for the self-proclaimed state Luhansk People's Republic (LPR).[3][4]

On 21 November 2017, armed men in unmarked uniforms took up positions in the center of Luhansk in what appeared to be a power struggle between the head of the republic Igor Plotnitsky and the (sacked by Plotnitsky) LPR appointed interior minister Igor Kornet.[5][6] Three days later the website of the separatists stated that Plotnitsky had resigned "for health reasons. Multiple war wounds, the effects of blast injuries, took their toll."[7] The website stated that Pasechnik had been named acting leader "until the next elections."[7] Russian media reported that Plotnitsky had fled the unrecognised republic on 23 November 2017 to Russia.[8] On 25 November the 38-member People's Council of the LPR unanimously approved Plotnitsky's resignation.[9] Pasechnik declared his adherence to the Minsk accords, claiming "The republic will be consistently executing the obligations taken under these agreements."[10] On 30 March 2018 Pasechnik stated "Our [LPR] experience can help all regions of Ukraine eventually gain freedom and independence, and then we can together declare a new Ukraine in which representatives of different nationalities and cultures will freely live."[11] (While meeting people living in territory controlled by LPR in the summer of 2019) Pasechnik stated: "It does not mean, that we will return back into Ukraine. This is the only way to stop this madness, this war. You should understand that we, as a sovereign state will be a state within the state – that will be our special status".[12]

References
  1. Леонид Пасечник стал и.о. главы ЛНР
  2. Анатолий Антонов возглавил Министерство госбезопасности ЛНР
  3. Former SBU agent, whom Yushchenko gave a medal. Who is the new leader of "LPR" (Бывший СБУшник, которому дал медаль Ющенко. Кто такой новый главарь "ЛНР"). Espreso.tv. 24 November 2017
  4. Who is Pasechnik and what type of conflict he had with Plotnitsky (Кто такой Пасечник и какой конфликт был у него с Плотницким). DNR 24. 24 November 2017
  5. "Kremlin 'Following' Situation in Ukraine's Russia-Backed Separatist-Controlled Luhansk". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty.
  6. "Luhansk coup attempt continues as rival militia occupies separatist region". The Independent. 22 November 2017.
  7. Ukraine rebel region's security minister says he is new leader , Reuters (24 November 2017)
    Separatist Leader In Ukraine's Luhansk Resigns Amid Power Struggle, Radio Free Europe (24 November 2017)
  8. "Захар Прилепин встретил главу ЛНР в самолете в Москву". meduza.io.
  9. "Народный совет ЛНР единогласно проголосовал за отставку Плотницкого" (in Russian). Retrieved 25 November 2017.
  10. Lugansk People’s Republic head resigns, TASS news agency (24 November 2017)
  11. "ЛНР have declared readiness to share experience with other areas of Ukraine" (in Russian). Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  12. Donbas: The new repertoire, The Ukrainian Week (28 September 2019)
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