Mikhail Tolstykh
| Lieutenant Colonel Mikhail Tolstykh | |
|---|---|
 Givi during the Second Battle of Donetsk Airport. | |
| Nickname(s) | "Givi" |
| Born |
July 19, 1980 Ilovaisk, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union |
| Allegiance |
 Ukraine (1998-2000) Donetsk People's Republic (2014–present) |
| Service/branch |
 Ukrainian Ground Forces (1998-2000) United Armed Forces of Novorossiya (2014–present) |
| Years of service |
1998–2000 2014–present |
| Rank | Lieutenant colonel[1] |
| Unit | Somalia Battalion |
| Battles/wars | |
Mikhail Sergeyevich Tolstykh (Russian: Михаи́л Серге́евич Толсты́х), better known by his callsign Givi (Ги́ви), is a commander in the pro-Russian separatist "Somali Battalion" (Russian: Батальон Сомали) in the War in Donbass.[2] In an online interview, Givi claimed that he is from Ilovaisk and served in the Ukrainian Army from 1998 to 2000 before working at a sling rope factory.[3] He is 35 as of October 2015; his civilian name is Mikhail Tolstykh.[4] In an interview he stated that his great-grandfather was an ethnic Georgian.[5]
He joined the separatists in the early stages of the war and was involved in the Battle of Ilovaisk.[6] Givi led separatists in the Second Battle of Donetsk Airport.[7] He received widespread fame in October 2014 when a video of him ignoring a rocket artillery strike landing near enough to him for shrapnel to fall at his feet was uploaded to YouTube and gained over 1,000,000 views.[8]
On February 16, 2015, Mikhail Tolstykh was included by the European Council in the sanctions list.[9]
Mistreatment of prisoners
In January 2015, several videos surfaced of Tolstykh physically abusing prisoners captured at the Second Battle of Donetsk Airport. The videos show Tolstykh clearly identifying himself before grabbing the prisoners by the face, brandishing a dagger, and cutting off military insignia and forcing them into the prisoners' mouths. Oleksandra Matviychuk, head of the Kiev-based Center for Civil Liberties, calls what appears in the videos "flagrant violations of the Geneva Conventions" and says she is preparing the groundwork for prosecution.[10]
References
- ↑ Lt. Col. Givi prepares "surprise" for Ukrainian troops. Novorossia TV. 1 December 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
- ↑ "In Ukraine, Civilians in Crossfire". New York Times. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
- ↑ "Interview with NAF commander Givi about his personal life". YouTube. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
- ↑ "[eng subs] Givi gives his number! Interview by Graham Phillips". YouTube. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
- ↑ "Donbass fighter Givi addressing to Georgians [GEO]". Retrieved 7 May 2015.
- ↑ "Pro-Russian rebels take Ukrainian town". CNN. 2 September 2014. Archived from the original on 7 September 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
- ↑ "Rebel commander wages fight to the death for east Ukraine airport". Yahoo News. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
- ↑ "Ukraine: Donetsk fighter unfazed by heavy shelling". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
- ↑ "Council Decision (CFSP) 2015/241 of 9 February 2015 amending Decision 2014/145/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine". EUR-Lex. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
- ↑ Kates, Glenn; Removska, Olena (January 28, 2015). "Disturbing Videos Raise War-Crimes Concerns In Ukraine". Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty. Retrieved January 28, 2015.