Valery Bolotov, first leader of Lugansk People’s Republic, has died

January 27: We’ve just learned from a source in the Union of Donbass Volunteers that Valery Bolotov, political leader, militia commander and statesman of the Lugansk People’s Republic, has died. 

 
This was reported by the head of the “South-Eastern Front” Information Center, Konstantin Knyrik.

“Valery Bolotov died earlier, from a heart attack in his apartment in Moscow, two hours ago. He suddenly became ill,” said Knyrik.

Recall that Bolotov became known in April 2014 during the protests in southeastern Ukraine, where he called for an open confrontation with the Ukrainian authorities on April 5, 2014, and for his subsequent involvement in the armed seizure of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) headquarters in the Lugansk region. From April 21, 2014, he was People’s Governor of Lugansk region and one of the commanders of the Army of the Southeast. 

On May 18, 2014, at the first session of the National Assembly (Supreme Soviet) of the LPR, Bolotov was elected head of the Lugansk People’s Republic. On August 14, 2014, he announced his temporary resignation, citing the effects of a wound. Bolotov recently organized humanitarian assistance to the LPR.

Source

Translated by Greg Butterfield