Ekaterina Gubareva
Екатерина Губарева
Gubareva in 2015
Deputy Head of the Kherson Military-Civilian Administration
In office
16 June 2022 – 16 November 2022
GovernorVolodymyr Saldo
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Donetsk People's Republic
In office
16 May 2014 – 15 August 2014
Preceded byPost established
Succeeded byAlexandru Caraman
Personal details
Born (1983-07-05) 5 July 1983 (age 40)
Kakhovka, Kherson Oblast, Ukrainian SSR
Political partyNew Russia Party
SpousePavel Gubarev
Children3
Alma materDonetsk National Technical University

Ekaterina Yuryevna Gubareva[a] (Russian: Екатерина Юрьевна Губарева; Ukrainian: Катерина Юріївна Губарєва;[b] born 5 July 1983) is a Ukrainian-born, pro-Russian activist and political figure.[1]

Gubareva held a senior positions in pro-Russian separatist-held territory during the war in Donbas as the "Minister of Foreign Affairs" in Russian-occupied Donetsk for the Donetsk People's Republic.[2][3] In November 2022, Gubareva was detained, and then dismissed from her last position, as deputy head of the collaborationist Kherson Military-Civilian Administration in Russian-occupied Ukraine. As of 2024, this was her last position in public life.[4][5]

Early life and education

Born on 5 July 1983 in Kakhovka, Gubereva has a degree in computer science from the Donetsk National Technical University.[6][7] Before the war in Donbas, which began in 2014, she was known as a local organizer of healthy lifestyle festivals.[8] Gubareva was an amateur artist, and her works were exhibited in a Donetsk gallery.[9]

Separatist activities

Donetsk People's Republic

On 1 March 2014, during anti-Euromaidan protests, at a rally in Donetsk, southeastern part of Ukraine, her husband Pavel Gubarev was chosen as "people's governor" of Donetsk oblast. On 6 March 2014, Gubarev was then arrested by Ukraine, and taken by the Security Service of Ukraine to Kyiv.[10][11]

In April 2014, the Donetsk People's Republic was proclaimed within the Donbas region. For the first few months of the Donetsk People's Republic, Gubareva was the head of its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with responsibility for humanitarian aid convoys (food, medicine, childcare products) for the civilians and fighters of the Donetsk People's Republic. She said of her work this time: "We don't carry weapons, we're not fighters, and we don't know anything about that side of things."[12][13] On 16 August 2014, Gubareva was demoted, with the former vice president of Transnistria, Alexander Karaman, replacing her in the post of foreign minister of the DPR, for unspecified reasons. Gubareva then became the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.[14]

After an assassination attempt on her husband, Pavel Gubarev, on 13 October 2014, she temporarily led the New Russia Party.[15] Pavel Gubarev formed the Free Donbas movement in 2014, however he would go onto to be blocked from standing, and marginalised in political life in the DNR.[16] Ekaterina Gubareva had been set to head the Free Donbas party list for the "elections" of the People's Council of the Donetsk People's Republic of 11 November 2018.,[16] however on 29 September 2018, she was arrested and held in custody by unknown people, and so was unable to attend the party convention that day, with the result that she was excluded from the party list.[16] After this, Gubareva left for Rostov-on-Don.[16]

Sanctions

Gubareva was sanctioned by the UK government in 2014 in relation to Russo-Ukrainian War.[17] The European Union has also sanctioned Gubareva, she was banned from entering the European Union and her accounts in European banks were frozen.[18] According to EU officials:

In her capacity of so-called "Minister of Foreign Affairs" she (Gubareva) is responsible of defending the so-called "Donetsk People's Republic", thus undermining the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. In addition, her bank account is used to finance illegal armed separatist groups. In taking on and acting in this capacity she has therefore supported actions and policies which undermine the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.[19]

Russian occupation of Kherson Oblast

On 16 June 2022, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Gubareva took office as Chief of Staff and Deputy Head of the Russian-occupation government called "Kherson Military-Civilian Administration" for Digitalization, Communications, Legal Regulation, and Domestic and Foreign Policy.[20] In statements made of a planned referendum to join Russia, she claimed that the Russian Federation was repeating the history of Empress Catherine who developed the "wild fields" following the Russo-Turkish War of 1768–1774.[21]

Gubareva was briefly reported as having 'disappeared' on 15 November 2022, however on the 16 November, Russian media reported that Gubareva had been detained by the Russian police in relation to a corruption case involving embezzlement of public funds.[4][22][5] Gubareva was later released, and dismissed from her position. As of 2024, she has not had another position in public life.[23]

Personal life

Gubareva is married to Pavel Gubarev, the pair have two sons and a daughter, and live in Rostov-on-Don.[24]

Notes

  1. ^ Also transliterated to Yekaterina
  2. ^ romanized: Kateryna Yuriivna Hubarieva

References

  1. ^ "Главой МИДа Донецкой республики стала Екатерина Губарева" [Ekaterina Gubereva became Head of Internal Affairs of the Donetsk Republic]. ПОЛИТИКУС (in Russian). 11 April 2014. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  2. ^ "У прокурорши Крыма появился конкурент - Екатерина Губарева (фото) назначена министром иностранных дел Донецкой республики" [Prosecutor of Crimea received a competitor, Ekaterina Gubareva who became a foreign minister] (in Russian). 11 April 2014. Archived from the original on 21 October 2014. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  3. ^ Higgins, Andrew; E Kramer, Andrew (12 April 2014). "Pro-Russia Ukrainians Are Promised More Power, but Remain Dubious". The New York Times. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Замглавы Херсонской области Губареву задержали по уголовному делу". РБК (in Russian). 16 November 2022. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Institute for the Study of War". Institute for the Study of War. 24 March 2022. Archived from the original on 25 March 2022. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  6. ^ "Жена Губарева стала министром Донецкой народной республики" [Gubarev's Wife Became a Minister in the Donetsk People's Republic]. Gazeta.ua. 19 May 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  7. ^ "Radaris: Поиск Екатерина Губарева? Онлайн поисклюдей при помощи номер 1 источника данных для поиска людей. Публичные записи". Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  8. ^ "В Донецке прошел первый фестиваль «Здорового образа жизни»" [In Donetsk, the festival of Healthy lifestyle took place]. 26 May 2013. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  9. ^ "Кем были раньше "вожди" ДНР: Губарев - Дедом Морозом, Пушилин - крупье, а Пономарев гонял машины из России" [Who Were the Leaders of the DNR Before - Gubarev - Father Christmas, Pushilin - Croupier and Ponomarev transported cars from Russia]. 14 May 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  10. ^ Damien McElroy (6 March 2014). "Pro-Russian leader arrested in Donetsk as Kiev hits back". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  11. ^ "Pro-Russian Protest Leader In Eastern Ukraine Said Taken To Kyiv". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 6 March 2014. Archived from the original on 1 December 2008. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  12. ^ "Екатерина Губарева: юго-восток не отступит от своих требований" [The South and East Won't Back Down from their Demands]. vesti.ru. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  13. ^ "The smuggling 'foreign minister' of the 'Donetsk People's Republic'". Daily Telegraph. 28 June 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  14. ^ "Donetsk Republic Appoints New Foreign Minister". 16 August 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  15. ^ "Жена Губарева временно возглавила движение "Новороссия"" [Gubarev's Wife Temporarily Led the Novorossiya Party]. 13 October 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  16. ^ a b c d Kazanskyi, Denys (8 October 2018). "The danger of wanting to be boss, What to expect from "elections" in Donetsk and Luhansk". The Ukrainian Week. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  17. ^ "Consolidated list of financial sanctions targets in the UK" (PDF). Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  18. ^ "Russie-Personnalités et entités sous le coup de nouvelles sanctions de l'UE" [Russian figures and entities on the new list of sanctions]. 26 July 2014. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  19. ^ "Concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine". 25 July 2014. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  20. ^ [1]/ Official Site of the Kherson Oblast Administration, 16 June 2022
  21. ^ "Замглавы ВГА Херсонской области Губарева назвала референдум о присоединении к России шансом выйти с "дикого поля"" [The Deputy Head of the Kherson Region Gubareva called the Referendum a chance to leave the 'wild fields']. argumenti.ru. 24 July 2022. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  22. ^ "In Genichesk, the deputy head of the administration of the Kherson region formed by Russia Ekaterina Gubareva disappeared". Meduza.io. 16 November 2022. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  23. ^ Roscoe, Matthew (16 November 2022). "Kherson Region deputy head Ekaterina Gubareva reportedly missing". Euro Weekly News. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  24. ^ "Жена сепаратиста Губарева увлекается боксом и любит пострелять из оружия". 21 May 2012. Retrieved 20 June 2022.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ekaterina Gubareva.
War in Donbas (2014–2022)
Categories