Oleksandr Yefremov or Aleksandr Efremov ( uk, Олександр Сергійович Єфремов, russian: Алекса́ндр Серге́евич Ефре́мов) is a Ukrainian former parliamentarian and politician. A former governor of the

Luhansk Oblast Luhansk Oblast ( uk, Луга́нська о́бласть, translit=Luhanska oblast; russian: Луганская область, translit=Luganskaya oblast; also referred to as Luhanshchyna, uk, Луга́нщина) is the easternmost oblast ...

, from 2010 until 2014 he was

Party of Regions The Party of Regions ( uk, Партія регіонів, Partiia rehioniv, ; russian: Партия регионов, Partiya regionov) was a pro-Russian political party in Ukraine formed in late 1997 that then grew to be the biggest party of U ...

's faction leader in the

Verkhovna Rada The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine ( uk, Верхо́вна Ра́да Украї́ни, translit=, Verkhovna Rada Ukrainy, translation=Supreme Council of Ukraine, Ukrainian abbreviation ''ВРУ''), often simply Verkhovna Rada or just Rada, is the ...

(Ukraine's parliament). On 14 February 2015 Yefremov was detained on suspicion of "

abuse of power Abuse is the improper usage or treatment of a thing, often to unfairly or improperly gain benefit. Abuse can come in many forms, such as: physical or verbal maltreatment, injury, assault, violation, rape, unjust practices, crimes, or other t ...

under

aggravating circumstances Aggravation, in law, is "any circumstance attending the commission of a crime or tort which increases its guilt or enormity or adds to its injurious consequences, but which is above and beyond the essential constituents of the crime or tort itself. ...

".Ex-head of Regions Party faction Yefremov detained on suspicion of abuse of power under aggravating circumstances
Interfax-Ukraine (14 February 2015) This arrest was effectively ended when his bail expired on 1 November 2015. Yefremov was again detained on 30 July 2016 on suspicion of violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity by helping to create the

Luhansk People's Republic The Luhansk or Lugansk People's Republic (russian: Луга́нская Наро́дная Респу́блика, Luganskaya Narodnaya Respublika, ; abbreviated as LPR or LNR, rus, ЛНР) is a disputed entity created by Russian-backed ...

and misappropriation of property.Lutsenko: Yefremov suspected of helping creation, activities of terrorist organization LPR
Interfax-Ukraine (30 July 2016)Ex-head of Regions Party faction Yefremov detained on suspicion of violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity
Interfax-Ukraine (30 July 2016)Ex-Regions Party faction head Yefremov detained – PGO

UNIAN The UNIAN or Ukrainian Independent Information Agency of News ( uk, Українське Незалежне Інформаційне Агентство Новин, УНІАН, translit=Ukrayins'ke Nezalezhne Informatsiyne Ahentstvo Novyn) is a ...

(30 July 2016)Indictment against ex-head of Regions Party faction Yefremov sent to court
Interfax-Ukraine (5 January 2017)

Biography

Yefremov was born in Voroshylovhrad on August 22, 1954 to an ethnic Russian family of Sergei Serafimovich Yefremov and Nadezhda Stepanovna. In 1973-78 he studied and successfully graduated from the Voloshylovhrad Machine-building Institute (today the East Ukraine Volodymyr Dahl National University) as engineer-mechanic. After graduating Yefremov became employed as an engineer-technologist at the Lenin Machine-building Plant in Luhansk. From October 1978 to April 1980 he served at the Kyiv Military District military site #68302, the 692nd Communication Unit of Civil Defense Headquarters ( Pereyaslav-Khmelnytsky,

Ukrainian SSR The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic ( uk, Украї́нська Радя́нська Соціалісти́чна Респу́бліка, ; russian: Украи́нская Сове́тская Социалисти́ческая Респ ...

). In 1980-87 Yefremov worked as a Komsomol activist, until 1983 as the 1st secretary of the Leninsky Raion of Luhansk and then of the whole city. In 1987-91 he was on managerial positions at the Lenin Machine-building Plant, deputy chief of department, sectary of party committee. During this time in 1990-92 Yefremov studied and graduated from the Kyiv Institute of Political Science and Social Administration as a political scientist. The institute was officially liquidated in March 1992. In 1991-96 Yefremov worked as a director of a local company "MSP Mega LTD". In 1996-97 he was a chairman of the Board of Commercial Bank "Ukrainian Communal Bank" where his wife, Larysa, and son, Ihor, work. In 1997-98 Yefremov works as a deputy governor and from April 7, 1998 to January 27, 2005 as a governor of

as a member of the People's Democratic Party. During that time he also gained a magisterial diploma from the East Ukraine Volodymyr Dahl National University in 2000. In 2005 Yefremov changed his political affiliation by the end of year headed the regional center of the

. In 2006 he ran for seat in the Supreme Council of Ukraine as a member of the

, while at the time being a director of regional administration of the Ukrainian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs. Yefremov after being elected to the

national parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. Th ...

also was elected to the regional council as well. Since then he was a

People's Deputy of Ukraine People's, branded as ''People's Viennaline'' until May 2018, and legally ''Altenrhein Luftfahrt GmbH'', is an Austrian airline headquartered in Vienna. It operates scheduled and charter passenger flights mainly from its base at St. Gallen-Alten ...

and was reelected to the parliament on two more occasions. From 2010 Yefremov heads the parliamentary faction of the

changing on the post

Viktor Yanukovych Viktor Fedorovych Yanukovych ( uk, Віктор Федорович Янукович, ; ; born 9 July 1950) is a former politician who served as the fourth president of Ukraine from 2010 until he was removed from office in the Revolution of D ...

. On 14 September 2014, the Party of Regions choose not to participate in the

2014 Ukrainian parliamentary election Snap elections to the Verkhovna Rada took place on 26 October 2014. Petro Poroshenko, the President of Ukraine, had pressed for early parliamentary elections since his victory in the presidential election in May.Donbass The Donbas or Donbass (, ; uk, Донба́с ; russian: Донба́сс ) is a historical, cultural, and economic region in eastern Ukraine. Parts of the Donbas are controlled by Russian separatist groups as a result of the Russo-Ukrai ...

could not vote in the election.What distinguishes the "opposition bloc" of the Party of Regions?

BBC Ukrainian BBC News Ukrainian ( uk, BBC News Україна) is the Ukrainian service of the BBC which conveys the latest political, social, economical and sport news relevant to Ukraine and the world. It started broadcasts in 1992.

(23 September 2014) Although members of the Party of Regions took part in these elections on the election list of Opposition Bloc,Opposition Bloc chooses top ten candidates for parliamentary elections

Interfax Ukraine The Interfax-Ukraine ( uk, Інтерфакс-Україна) is a Kyiv-based Ukrainian independent news agency founded in 1992. The company does not belong to the Russian news corporation Interfax Information Services. The company publishes in ...

(23 September 2014)Allies of Yanukovych trying for parliament

Kyiv Post The ''Kyiv Post'' is the oldest English-language newspaper in Ukraine, founded in October 1995 by Jed Sunden. History American Jed Sunden founded the ''Kyiv Post'' weekly newspaper on Oct. 18, 1995 and later created KP Media for his holdings. ...

(21 September 2014)Party Of Regions Will Not Contest Snap Parliamentary Elections Independently
,

Ukrainian News Agency The Ukrainian News Agency ( uk, Інформаційне агентство "Українські Новини"; ''Informatsiyne ahentstvo "Ukrayins'ki Novyny"'') is a Kyiv-based Ukrainian news agency. It produces and provides political, business ...

(14 September 2014) Yefremov did not do so. On 14 February 2015 Yefremov was detained on suspicion of "

under

". Since 17 January 2015 (during the War in Donbass) Yefremov was part of an investigating into alleged involvement in funding separatism.Ukraine crisis timeline

BBC News BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broad ...

This criminal case was closed on 31 March 2016. Yefremov was also suspected of putting pressure on state coal company Luganskugol to make it conclude contracts with service providers controlled by him for excessive prices. He is also accused of forgery of documents during the adoption on 16 January 2014 of a set of ' anti-protest laws'. On 18 February 2015 (after being released on bail) Yefremov stated that the authorities had fabricated the criminal case against him because "They just need someone to blame for the February 20 events" (on 20 February 2014 more than 100 Euromaidan participants and policemen were shot dead). On 25 February 2015 Yefremov was released on a $2,794 bail. This bail expired on 1 November 2015.Most Wanted: A Crib Sheet for the President

The Ukrainian Week ''The Ukrainian Week'' ( uk, Український Тиждень, translit=Ukrainskyi Tyzhden) is an illustrated weekly magazine covering politics, economics and the arts and aimed at the socially engaged Ukrainian-language reader. It provides ...

(7 December 2015) Yefremov was again detained on 30 July 2016 at

Boryspil International Airport Boryspil International Airport ( uk, Міжнародний аеропорт «Бориспіль») is an international airport in Boryspil, east of Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. It is Ukraine's largest airport, serving 65% of its passenger ...

(he was about to fly to

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

) on suspicion of violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity by helping to create the

and misappropriation of property. Since 1 August 2016 he is in custody (in June 2019 this was extended to 17 August 2019Court extends Yefremov arrest for another 2 months - Prosecutor General's Office
Interfax-Ukraine (20 June 2019)).

Awards

Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise The Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise ( uk, Орден князя Ярослава Мудрого) is an award of Ukraine. It is awarded for distinguished services to the state and people of the Ukrainian nation in the field of state building, ...

(2010) * Order of Merit (III degree in 2001), (II - 2003), (I - 2004)

References

External links

Information on Oleksandr Yefremov

''If you will steal 10 percent, I will understand you''
"Hazeta po-ukrayinsky". #1162. 2011-1-21.
Political Ukraine today
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yefremov, Oleksandr 1954 births People from Luhansk Party of Regions politicians People's Democratic Party (Ukraine) politicians Komsomol of Ukraine members Russians in Ukraine Living people Pro-government people of the Euromaidan Seventh convocation members of the Verkhovna Rada Sixth convocation members of the Verkhovna Rada Fifth convocation members of the Verkhovna Rada Governors of Luhansk Oblast People of the 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine Ukrainian prisoners and detainees Prisoners and detainees of Ukraine Heads of government who were later imprisoned Recipients of the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, 5th class Recipients of the Order of Merit (Ukraine), 1st class Recipients of the Order of Merit (Ukraine), 2nd class Recipients of the Order of Merit (Ukraine), 3rd class