Lieutenant Colonel

Mikhail Tolstykh
Givi during the Second Battle of Donetsk Airport.
Nickname(s)"Givi"
Bornc. 1980 (age 34)
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 service1998–2000
2014–present
RankLieutenant colonel[1]
Unit Somalia Battalion
Battles/warsWar in Donbass

Mikhail Sergeyevich Tolstykh (Russian: Михаи́л Серге́евич Толсты́х), better known as Givi (Гиви), is the commander of the pro-Russian "Somali Battalion" (Russian: Батальон Сомали) in the War in Donbass.[2] In an online interview, Givi said that he is from Ilovaisk and served in the Ukrainian Army from 1998 to 2000 before working in a slingrope factory.[3] He is 34 as of October 2014; his civilian (real) name is Mikhail Tolstykh.[4] He joined the separatists in the early stages of the war and was involved in the Battle of Ilovaisk.[5] Givi led separatists in the Second Battle of Donetsk Airport.[6] Givi 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 900,000 views.[7] In an interview he stated that his great-grandfather was an ethnic Georgian.[8]

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 sword, and cutting off military insignia and forcing them into the prisoners' mouths. Oleksandra Matviychuk, head of the Kyiv-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. [9]

References

  1. ^ Lt. Col. Givi prepares "surprise" for Ukrainian troops. Novorossia TV. 1 December 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  2. ^ "In Ukraine, Civilians in Crossfire". New York Times. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  3. ^ "Interview with NAF commander Givi about his personal life". YouTube. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  4. ^ "[eng subs] Givi gives his number! Interview by Graham Phillips". YouTube. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
  5. ^ "Pro-Russian rebels take Ukrainian town". CNN. 2 September 2014. Archived from the original on 7 September 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2014. ((cite news)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ "Rebel commander wages fight to the death for east Ukraine airport". Yahoo News. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  7. ^ "Ukraine: Donetsk fighter unfazed by heavy shelling". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  8. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?x-yt-ts=1421914688&x-yt-cl=84503534&v=LQnCGjBzzWw#t=17
  9. ^ Kates, Glenn; Removska, Olena (January 28, 2015). "Disturbing Videos Raise War-Crimes Concerns In Ukraine". Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty. Retrieved January 28, 2015.
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