Leonid Pasechnik

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific_prefix =

| name = Leonid Pasechnik

| honorific_suffix =

| image = File:Leonid Pasechnik (2023-04-06).jpg

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| caption = Pasechnik in 2023

| native_name = {{nobold|Леонид Пасечник}}

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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1970|03|15|df=y}}

| birth_place = Voroshilovgrad, Ukrainian SSR, USSR
(now Luhansk, Ukraine)

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| office = {{ill|Head of the Luhansk People's Republic|ru|Глава Луганской Народной Республики}}{{cite web | url=http://en.kremlin.ru/acts/news/69507 | title=Executive Order on Acting Head of Lugansk People's Republic | date=5 October 2022 }}

| term_start = 25 November 2017{{efn|As a self-declared independent state: 25 November 2017 – 4 October 2022}}{{efn|As a Russian subject: 4 October 2022 – present}}

| predecessor = Igor Plotnitsky

| office2 = Minister of State Security of the Luhansk People’s Republic

| term_start2 = 9 October 2014

| term_end2 = 21 November 2018
Acting from 25 November 2017

| president2 = Igor Plotnisky

| predecessor2 = Position established

| successor2 =

| allegiance = {{flag|Ukraine}} (1993–2014)
{{flag|Luhansk People's Republic}} (2014–2017)

| branch = 23px Security Service of Ukraine (SBU)
{{flagicon|Luhansk People's Republic}} Ministry of State Security of the Luhansk People's Republic

| serviceyears = 1993–2017

| rank = Major General (MSS)

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| awards = Medal For Military Service to Ukraine

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| alma_mater = Donetsk Military-Political College

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| party = United Russia (2021–present)

| otherparty = Peace to Luhanshchyna (2014–present)

| primeminister = Sergey Kozlov

}}

Leonid Ivanovich Pasechnik ({{langx|ru|Леони́д Ива́нович Па́сечник}}; {{langx|uk|Леонід Іванович Пасічник|Leonid Ivanovych Pasichnyk}}; born 15 March 1970) is a Russian politician who has served as head of the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) since 2017. He holds the position in acting capacity ever since the Russian annexation of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts in 2022. Pasechnik had previously held office as the LPR's Minister of State Security from 2014 to 2018.[https://tass.ru/mezhdunarodnaya-panorama/4758603 Леонид Пасечник стал и.о. главы ЛНР][http://lug-info.com/news/one/anatolii-antonov-vozglavil-ministerstvo-gosbezopasnosti-lnr-30284 Анатолий Антонов возглавил Министерство госбезопасности ЛНР][https://ru.espreso.tv/article/2017/11/24/byvshyy_sbushnyk_kotoromu_dal_medal_yuschenko_kto_takoy_novyy_glavar_quotlnrquot 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

Prior to his political career, Pasechnik served in the Security Service of Ukraine until the 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine, which he supported.

Background and military career

Pasechnik's father, Ivan Sergeyevich, worked in Soviet law enforcement, for the OBKhSS, for 26 years. In 1975 the Pasechnik family moved to Magadan in the Russian Far East{{Cite news |last=Grytsenko |first=Oksana |date=25 November 2017 |title=Kremlin places new head in Russian-occupied Luhansk Oblast |language=en |work=Kyiv Post |url=https://archive.kyivpost.com/ukraine-politics/kremlin-places-new-head-russian-occupied-luhansk-oblast.html |access-date=8 July 2023}} where Pasechnik's father was associated with gold mine operations.

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{{Cite news |last1=Romanenko |first1=Maria |last2=Kupfer |first2=Matthew |date=27 November 2017 |title=The Coup In Luhansk, Explained |language=en |work=Hromadske |quote=He is a former officer of Ukraine's security services. He used to head the K department, which fought smuggling in Luhansk region and he was quite successful in that role |url=https://hromadske.ua/en/posts/the-coup-in-luhansk-explained |access-date=8 July 2023}} and the chief of the Stakhanov district detachment. 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 reportedly refusing a bribe out of principle.{{Cite news |last=Sauer |first=Pjotr |date=2022-02-24 |title='Their golden hour': Donetsk and Luhansk leaders revel in rising profile |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/24/denis-pushilin-leonid-pasechnik-donetsk-luhansk-ukraine-crisis |access-date=2023-04-06 |issn=0261-3077}} 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" during the aforementioned operation.

Career in the Luhansk People's Republic

=Minister of State Security (2014–2017)=

{{see also|Russo-Ukrainian War|War in Donbas|2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine}}

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). As part of that role, he oversaw the "notorious" prisons and isolation cells in the LPR, in which, many media have reported, torture of people with anti-separatist views took place.

=Head of nominally independent Luhansk People's Republic (2017–2022)=

On 21 November 2017, armed men in unmarked uniforms took up positions in the centre of Lugansk in what appeared to be a power struggle between the head of the republic Igor Plotnitsky and the supporters of LPR Interior Minister Igor Kornet, who was sacked the previous day.{{cite news|url=https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia-following-situation-separatists-luhansk/28869751.html|title=Kremlin 'Following' Situation in Ukraine's Russia-Backed Separatist-Controlled Luhansk|newspaper=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty|date=22 November 2017 }}{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/luhansk-coup-ukraine-russia-igor-kornet-igor-plotnitsky-military-operations-training-exercise-a8068656.html|title=Luhansk coup attempt continues as rival militia occupies separatist region|date=22 November 2017|website=The Independent}} Three days later, a government statement declared that Plotnitsky had resigned "for health reasons (due to) multiple war wounds (and) the effects of blast injuries, (which) took their toll." It was also stated that Pasechnik had been named acting leader "until the next elections."[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ukraine-crisis-luhansk/ukraine-rebel-regions-security-minister-says-he-is-new-leader-idUSKBN1DO251?il=0 Ukraine rebel region's security minister says he is new leader], Reuters (24 November 2017)
[https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia-luhansk-separatist-leader-plotnitsky-resigns/28875414.html Separatist Leader In Ukraine's Luhansk Resigns Amid Power Struggle], Radio Free Europe (24 November 2017) Russian media reported that Plotnitsky had fled the unrecognised republic on 23 November 2017 to Russia.{{cite web|url=https://meduza.io/news/2017/11/23/zahar-prilepin-vstretil-glavu-lnr-v-samolete-v-moskvu|title=Захар Прилепин встретил главу ЛНР в самолете в Москву|website=meduza.io}} On 25 November the 38-member People's Council of the LPR unanimously approved the change in leadership.{{Cite news|url=http://www.mk.ru/politics/2017/11/25/narodnyy-sovet-lnr-edinoglasno-progolosoval-za-otstavku-plotnickogo.html|title=Народный совет ЛНР единогласно проголосовал за отставку Плотницкого|access-date=2017-11-25|language=ru-RU}}

Pasechnik's position on the Minsk Agreements has been unclear. Upon taking office, he quickly declared his adherence to the Minsk Agreements, saying that "the republic will be consistently executing the obligations taken under these agreements."[http://tass.com/world/977397 Lugansk People’s Republic head resigns], TASS news agency (24 November 2017) 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."{{Cite news|url=https://ria.ru/world/20180330/1517605064.html|title=ЛНР have declared readiness to share experience with other areas of Ukraine|access-date=2018-03-31|language=ru-RU}} 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".[https://ukrainianweek.com/Politics/235927 Donbas: The new repertoire], The Ukrainian Week (28 September 2019)

He was sanctioned by the UK government in 2018 in relation to the Russo-Ukrainian War.{{cite web |title=CONSOLIDATED LIST OF FINANCIAL SANCTIONS TARGETS IN THE UK |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1150217/Russia.pdf |access-date=16 April 2023}}

On 6 December 2021, Pasechnik became a member of the Russian ruling party United Russia. United Russia chairman Dmitry Medvedev personally handed him his party member card during the party's annual congress in Moscow.[https://www.thetimes.com/article/ukraine-conflict-putin-invites-separatist-leaders-into-his-party-5wstpsw3h Ukraine conflict: Putin invites separatist leaders into his party]. The Times (6 December 2021)

=Russian invasion of Ukraine and annexation of the LPR (2022–present)=

File:Leonid Pasechnik and Vladimir Putin (2023-04-06).jpg in April 2023]]

{{see also|Russian invasion of Ukraine|2022 annexation referendums in Russian-occupied Ukraine|Russian annexation of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts}}

In February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, citing Ukraine's failure to implement the Minsk Agreements by not granting regions of the Donbas the required special status. On 27 March 2022, Pasechnik said that the LPR may hold a referendum to join Russia in the near future.{{Cite news|url=https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-separatists-referendum-join-russia/31773083.html|title = Leader of Kremlin-Backed Separatists in Ukraine Planning 'Referendum' to Join Russia| work=RFE/RL }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/leader-of-east-ukraine-separatist-region-says-it-may-hold-vote-on-joining-russia/|title=Leader of east Ukraine separatist region says it may hold vote on joining Russia|website=The Times of Israel}} The authorities of the Luhansk People's Republic eventually scheduled a "referendum" on the republic's entry into Russia as a federal subject for 23–27 September.{{cite web |date=20 September 2022 |title=Референдум о вхождении ЛНР в состав России пройдет с 23 по 27 сентября |url=https://ria.ru/20220920/referendum-1818144207.html |access-date=20 September 2022 |website=РИА Новости |language=ru |archive-date=20 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220920113554/https://ria.ru/20220920/referendum-1818144207.html |url-status=live }}

On 30 September 2022, together with Donetsk People's Republic Head Denis Pushilin and pro-Russian occupation administration Heads Vladimir Saldo of Kherson Oblast and Yevgeny Balitsky of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, attended in Moscow the ceremony in which President of Russia Vladimir Putin formally announced the annexation and incorporation of those regions into Russia.{{Cite news |last=Landay |first=Jonathan |date=2022-09-30 |title=Defiant Putin proclaims Ukrainian annexation as military setback looms |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/putin-host-kremlin-ceremony-annexing-parts-ukraine-2022-09-29/ |access-date=2022-10-01 |archive-date=6 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221006084106/https://www.reuters.com/world/putin-host-kremlin-ceremony-annexing-parts-ukraine-2022-09-29/ |url-status=live }}