Taras Valeriyovych Berezovets ( uk, Тарас Валерійович Березовець) (born 1 March 1975) is Ukrainian political analyst, founder of Free Сrimea project (2014), CEO of the Fund for National Strategies (2015), founder of Hybrid Warfare Resistance Bureau (2015), co-founder of the Ukrainian Institute for the Future (2016), external advisor to the Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine (2016–present) and native of
Kerch
Kerch ( uk, Керч; russian: Керчь, ; Old East Slavic: Кърчевъ; Ancient Greek: , ''Pantikápaion''; Medieval Greek: ''Bosporos''; crh, , ; tr, Kerç) is a city of regional significance on the Kerch Peninsula in the east of t ...
city.
Berezovets was born on 1 March 1975 in
Kerch
Kerch ( uk, Керч; russian: Керчь, ; Old East Slavic: Кърчевъ; Ancient Greek: , ''Pantikápaion''; Medieval Greek: ''Bosporos''; crh, , ; tr, Kerç) is a city of regional significance on the Kerch Peninsula in the east of t ...
and in 1982–1987 studied in the school No.12.
In 1992, he graduated the local Korolenko gymnasium.
In 1997, Berezovets finished the Journalism Faculty of
Kyiv University
Kyiv University or Shevchenko University or officially the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv ( uk, Київський національний університет імені Тараса Шевченка), colloquially known as KNU ...
.
In 2003, he graduated from the Royal College of Defence Studies (London, UK), becoming the youngest member in RCDS's history. In 2004 he received MA in International Studies from King's College London.
In 2011, Berezovets was selected to represent Ukraine among young leaders from Central and Eastern Europe in the prestigious John Smith Memorial Trust Programme (UK).
In 2016, he was selected to take part in the Aspen Programme.
During his professional career since 1997 Berezovets has occupied a number of high-level positions. Thus, in 1997-98 as press secretary to the permanent representative of Ukraine's President in the Ukrainian parliament.
From 1998 to 2005, he worked as an expert at the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine. During his career in the national security field his main focuses were NATO and Russia.
In 2006-2010 he worked as PR advisor to then Prime minister
Ukrayinska Pravda
''Ukrainska Pravda'' ( uk, Українська правда, lit=Ukrainian Truth) is a Ukrainian online newspaper founded by Georgiy Gongadze on 16 April 2000 (the day of the Ukrainian constitutional referendum). Published mainly in Ukrai ...
facebook page
In 2015, he wrote a book titled Annexation: Island of Crimea. Chronicles of the hybrid warfare (it became a best-seller in Ukraine and currently an English translation is being prepared).
In May 2015, Berezovets presented a white paper at the European Parliament, titled "Black book of occupation of Crimea" - a first of its kind which detailed the situation with human rights, militarization and economic situation on the peninsula.
In November 2016, Berezovets spoke at a congressional hearing in Washington on the situation in Crimea.
Ukrayinska Pravda
''Ukrainska Pravda'' ( uk, Українська правда, lit=Ukrainian Truth) is a Ukrainian online newspaper founded by Georgiy Gongadze on 16 April 2000 (the day of the Ukrainian constitutional referendum). Published mainly in Ukrai ...