He was sentenced to life imprisonment in the West.
The former "Minister of Defense" of the so-called "DPR" Igor Strelkov obtained a diploma as an electrician in a Russian colony and does not intend to apply for parole. In an interview with RTVI, he explained why he still insists on a full-scale mobilization in Russia and is confident that Ukraine, in its current form, will cease to exist, and a significant part of it should reunite with Russia "along the Curzon line."
— In September, some Telegram channels reported that your health had sharply deteriorated. Your wife and lawyers quickly denied this information at that time. How are you feeling? Has almost two and a half years in isolation and the colony affected your health?
— My health is relatively stable. There has been no sharp deterioration.
— What does your day look like now, what do you do in the colony?
— Wake up, exercise, breakfast. And so — six days a week. Dinner at 4 PM, roll call at 6 PM, lights out at 10 PM, on weekends — walks, sometimes there is a drill inspection. Twice a week, there is a bathhouse. I received a diploma as an electrician, but I still work as a plasterer in the sewing shop.
— Do you plan to apply for parole, and if so, what decision do you expect?
— At the moment, I do not intend to submit any applications for parole.
— The president signed a decree allowing reservists to be called up for special gatherings to guard critical facilities, including energy and transport infrastructure in their region. How do you assess this initiative?
— It is too little and too late. In general, everything is as usual.
— In a previous interview, you mentioned that mobilization is necessary, but as 2025 is coming to an end, the second wave has not happened. Is there a possibility of victory without a second wave?
— Victory is impossible without full-scale mobilization, and a short-term ceasefire can only worsen the situation.
— European countries are actively militarizing, and statements from European military officials and NATO representatives about preparing for a possible war with Russia are becoming more frequent. They even mention timelines — three to five years. How do you assess the likelihood of war with Europe and NATO in the next five years?
— I assess the likelihood of such a war as insignificant, provided that we are strong enough in the war with Ukraine. If we cannot defeat Ukraine, then a scenario of intervention after the destabilization of the political situation within Russia is possible.
— Which countries do you consider to be the most aggressively disposed towards Russia today? And why do you think these hawkish countries still hesitate to send their contingents to Ukraine?
— England and the USA are the most aggressively disposed. France and Germany are less aggressive. The key question here is: whose weapons are being used? Currently, American weapons are primarily being used. Therefore, the Americans and the British are the most aggressively disposed towards Russia.
— We see that among the mercenaries, the largest number of casualties are citizens of Colombia and Georgia. It is unlikely that Russia will have a military conflict with either of them. Why do you think mercenaries from these countries are actively going to Ukraine to fight against Russia?
— Both Georgia and Colombia are simply poor countries. There is really no other explanation.
Igor Vsevolodovich Girkin (born December 17, 1970, Moscow, RSFSR, USSR), also known as Igor Ivanovich Strelkov, is a Russian military and political figure, publicist, military expert, military blogger, and critic of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. He worked for the FSB of Russia (1996–2013). He is one of the culprits in the destruction of the Malaysian Boeing and the death of 298 people on board, for which he was sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment in the Netherlands.
Strelkov gained wide notoriety as an active participant in the war in eastern Ukraine, a military and political figure of the Russia-controlled Donetsk People's Republic. For several months, he led fighters during the hostilities in the city of Slavyansk, and later commanded armed formations in Donetsk. From May 12 to August 14, 2014, he was the commander of the armed forces of the Donetsk People's Republic, from May 16 to August 14 — Minister of Defense of the DPR, and from July 6 he declared himself the military commandant of Donetsk. By his own estimation, his actions played a decisive role in the escalation of events in Donbas into an armed conflict. After leaving the post of Minister of Defense, he left the territory of Donbas. He engaged in public activities, often making critical comments about the leadership of the DPR and LPR, as well as Russia's policy towards Ukraine.
Ukrainian authorities and a number of human rights organizations accuse Strelkov of committing war crimes. On November 17, 2022, the Hague District Court found Igor Girkin guilty of the crash of the Boeing 777 and sentenced him to life imprisonment.
He has been the leader of the public movement "Novorossiya" since 2014. A military pensioner. He holds nationalist, monarchist views and adheres to the ideology of the White movement.
On January 25, 2024, he was sentenced to four years in a colony in Russia for two messages that the court deemed extremist. The real reason was, according to media reports, Strelkov's criticism of the military leadership and, in particular, of the President of the Russian Federation, Putin.
