Mikhail Tolstykh

{{Infobox military person

| honorific_prefix = Colonel

| name = Mikhail Tolstykh
{{nobold|{{lang|ru| Михаил Толстых}}}}

| image = Mikhail Tolstykh, aka Givi (cropped).jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Tolstykh in 2014

| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1980|07|19}}

| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2017|02|08|1980|07|19}}

| birth_place = Ilovaisk, Donetsk Oblast, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union

| death_place = Donetsk, Ukraine{{efn|Tolstykh's place of death was under the de facto control of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic}}

| nickname = Givi

| allegiance = {{flagicon image|Flag of the Donetsk People's Republic (2014-2018).svg}} Donetsk People's Republic (2014–2017)

| branch = {{flagicon image|Ensign of the Ukrainian Ground Forces.svg}} Ukrainian Ground Forces (1998–2000)
{{flagicon image|Flag of Donbass People's Militia.svg}} Donbass People's Militia (2014)
20px DPR 1st Army Corps (2014–2017)

| serviceyears = 1998–2000
2014–2017

| rank = Colonel

| commands = Somalia Battalion

| battles = {{tree list}}

Russo-Ukrainian War
War in Donbas
Battle of Ilovaisk
Second Battle of Donetsk Airport
Battle of Avdiivka{{WIA}}{{cite news|url=http://en.censor.net.ua/photo_news/426480/militant_konsul_killed_givi_wounded_near_avdiivka_militants_websites_photo|title=Militant Konsul killed; Givi wounded near Avdiivka, - militants' websites|publisher=Censor.NET|date=5 February 2017|access-date=24 February 2017|archive-date=1 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201131950/https://en.censor.net.ua/photo_news/426480/militant_konsul_killed_givi_wounded_near_avdiivka_militants_websites_photo|url-status=live}}

| relations =

| laterwork =

| signature =

}}

Mikhail Sergeyevich Tolstykh ({{langx|ru|Михаил Сергеевич Толстых}}; {{langx|uk|Михайло Сергійович Толстих|Mykhailo Serhiiovych Tolstykh}}; 19 July 1980 – 8 February 2017), better known by his nom de guerre Givi (Гиви), was a Ukrainian separatist officer wanted for war crimes.{{Cite web |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/separatist-commander-mikhail-tolstykh-givi-killed-ukraine-1.3971740 |title=Separatist commander Mikhail Tolstykh, 'Givi', killed in eastern Ukraine |access-date=2023-01-15 |archive-date=2019-04-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190430100232/https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/separatist-commander-mikhail-tolstykh-givi-killed-ukraine-1.3971740 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |title=Who needs witnesses of Russian war crimes in Donbas eliminated? |url=https://khpg.org/en/1486598045 |work=Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group}}{{cite news |title=Witness relates how Motorola killed 'cyborg' Ihor Branovytsky {{!}} ZMINA |url=https://zmina.info/en/articles-en/witness_relates_how_motorola_killed_cyborg_ihor_branovytsky/ |work=zmina.info |date=20 April 2015}}{{cite news |last1=Bennetts |first1=Marc |title=Separatist leader killed in rocket attack on his office |url=https://www.thetimes.com/world/article/separatist-leader-killed-in-rocket-attack-on-his-office-3pzzxsdlr |language=en}} He was mainly known as the commander of the collaborationist Donetsk People's Republic's Somalia Battalion during the war in Donbas from 2014,{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/05/world/europe/in-ukraine-civilians-in-crossfire.html|title=In Ukraine, Civilians in Crossfire|work=New York Times|date=5 October 2014 |access-date=11 October 2014|archive-date=6 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191206061604/https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/05/world/europe/in-ukraine-civilians-in-crossfire.html|url-status=live|last1=Roth |first1=Andrew }} until his assassination in early 2017.{{Cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/separatist-commander-mikhail-tolstykh-givi-killed-ukraine-1.3971740 |title=Separatist commander Mikhail Tolstykh, 'Givi', killed in eastern Ukraine |date=8 February 2017 |publisher=CBC |website=CBA News |access-date=2017-02-08 |archive-date=2019-04-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190430100232/https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/separatist-commander-mikhail-tolstykh-givi-killed-ukraine-1.3971740 |url-status=live }}

Biography

In his interview to Komsomolskaya Pravda, Tolstykh said he was from Ilovaisk and served as a conscript in the Ukrainian Army from 1998 to 2000 at a military training center, and wanted to continue in the army as a voluntary soldier after 2000 but was denied due to his speech impediment. He then worked at a sling rope factory and as a security guard in a supermarket.Zhukova, O. [http://www.kp.ru/daily/26641.4/3659603/ Givi: I was taught to battle by Chapayev and Ukraine] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200427143131/https://www.kp.ru/daily/26641.4/3659603/ |date=2020-04-27 }}. Komsomolskaya Pravda. 8 February 2017 In an interview he stated that his grandfather was an ethnic Georgian; his nickname Givi is Georgian.{{cite web|url=http://glavcom.ua/news/v-donecku-vbito-terorista-givi-397245.html|title=In Donetsk was killed terrorist Givi (В Донецьку вбито терориста Гіві (ОНОВЛЮЄТЬСЯ))|access-date=8 February 2017|archive-date=15 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180315070612/https://glavcom.ua/news/v-donecku-vbito-terorista-givi-397245.html|url-status=live}}

Tolstykh joined the rebels in the early stages of the war and was involved in the Battle of Ilovaisk.{{cite news|url=https://edition.cnn.com/videos/world/2014/09/02/pkg-magnay-ukraine-ilovaisk-captured.cnn |title=Pro-Russian rebels take Ukrainian town |agency=CNN |date=2 September 2014 |access-date=5 September 2014 |archive-date=7 September 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140907124057/http://edition.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/world/2014/09/02/pkg-magnay-ukraine-ilovaisk-captured.cnn.html }} Givi led the DPR Somalia Battalion in the Second Battle of Donetsk Airport.{{cite news|url=https://news.yahoo.com/rebel-commander-wages-fight-death-east-ukraine-airport-073451740.html|title=Rebel commander wages fight to the death for east Ukraine airport|work=Yahoo News|access-date=11 October 2014|archive-date=2 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502230941/https://news.yahoo.com/rebel-commander-wages-fight-death-east-ukraine-airport-073451740.html|url-status=live}} The Telegraph wrote a brief article about him where he gives interview to Novorossiya TV, during which an explosion took place in close vicinity.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/ukraine/11147880/Ukraine-Donetsk-fighter-unfazed-by-heavy-shelling.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141009022307/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/ukraine/11147880/Ukraine-Donetsk-fighter-unfazed-by-heavy-shelling.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 October 2014|title=Ukraine: Donetsk fighter unfazed by heavy shelling|work=Daily Telegraph|access-date=11 October 2014}}

On 16 February 2015, Tolstykh was included by the European Council in their sanctions list.{{cite web|title=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|url=http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:JOL_2015_040_R_0004|website=EUR-Lex|access-date=5 March 2015|archive-date=27 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327102433/https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:JOL_2015_040_R_0004|url-status=live}} In 2016, he was charged in Ukraine with crimes including the creation of a terrorist organization, abduction, and abuse of prisoners of war.{{cite news|title=Separatist Commander 'Givi' Killed In Eastern Ukraine|url=http://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-donetsk-separatis-leader-givi-killed/28297344.html|access-date=21 February 2017|agency=RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty|date=8 February 2017|archive-date=22 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191222205104/https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-donetsk-separatis-leader-givi-killed/28297344.html|url-status=live}}

=Treatment of prisoners=

In January 2015, several videos surfaced of Tolstykh physically abusing captured Ukrainian artillerymen from the Second Battle of Donetsk Airport. Tolstykh is seen clearly identifying himself before grabbing the prisoners by the face, brandishing a dagger, and cutting off military insignia and forcing prisoners to eat them. Oleksandra Matviychuk, head of the Kyiv-based Center for Civil Liberties, called what appears in the videos "flagrant violations of the Geneva Conventions" and said she was preparing the groundwork for prosecution.{{cite news |url =http://www.rferl.mobi/a/ukraine-prisoners-of-war-separatists-war-crimes-questions/26816285.html |title =Disturbing Videos Raise War-Crimes Concerns In Ukraine |date =January 28, 2015 |access-date =January 28, 2015 |agency =Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty |last1 =Kates |first1 =Glenn |last2 =Removska |first2 =Olena |archive-date =September 10, 2016 |archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20160910201725/http://www.rferl.mobi/a/ukraine-prisoners-of-war-separatists-war-crimes-questions/26816285.html |url-status =live }}

=Death=

Early in the morning of 8 February 2017, while working in his Donetsk office, Tolstykh was killed by an explosion said to be caused by an RPO-A Shmel rocket launcher fired from an unknown distance. DPR officials accused Ukrainian forces of carrying out the attack,{{Cite web |url=https://tvrain.ru/news/givi-427176/ |title=В ДНР погиб командир батальона "Сомали" Гиви |date=8 February 2017 |website=Dozhd |access-date=2017-02-08 |archive-date=2019-12-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191206061735/https://tvrain.ru/news/givi-427176/ |url-status=live }} while Ukrainian security officials claimed it to be the result of DPR infighting.{{cite news |title=Key Ukraine rebel commander killed in 'act of terror' |url=https://guardian.ng/news/key-ukraine-rebel-commander-killed-in-act-of-terror/ |agency=AFP |newspaper=France 24 |date=8 February 2017 |access-date=9 March 2017 |archive-date=6 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191206061759/https://guardian.ng/news/key-ukraine-rebel-commander-killed-in-act-of-terror/ |url-status=live }}{{cite news |title=Ukraine conflict: Rebel leader Givi dies in rocket attack |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-38905110 |newspaper=BBC News |date=8 February 2017 |access-date=9 March 2017 |archive-date=27 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200427143150/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-38905110 |url-status=live }} In 2022, journalist Yuriy Butusov claimed that Tolstykh was killed by a counter-intelligence unit of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) which was approved by then-president Petro Poroshenko.{{Cite web|title=Наказ про ліквідацію терориста "Гіві" віддав Порошенко – Юрій Бутусов|url=https://www.5.ua/polityka/nakaz-pro-likvidatsiiu-terorysta-hivi-viddav-poroshenko-yurii-butusov-267840.html|access-date=2022-02-15|website=5 канал|language=uk}} A 2024 article in the New York Times reported that agents of the Security Service of Ukraine operating behind enemy lines were responsible for Tolstykh's death, having remotely fired a rocket launcher from a building directly across from Tolstykh's office.{{Cite news |last=Entous |first=Adam |last2=Schwirtz |first2=Michael |date=2024-02-25 |title=The Spy War: How the C.I.A. Secretly Helps Ukraine Fight Putin |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/25/world/europe/cia-ukraine-intelligence-russia-war.html |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240226085845/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/25/world/europe/cia-ukraine-intelligence-russia-war.html |archive-date=2024-02-26 |access-date=2024-02-26 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}