Igor Vsevolodovich Girkin (Russian: И́горь Все́володович Ги́ркин, IPA: [ˈiɡərʲ ˈfsʲɛvələdəvʲɪtɕ ˈɡʲirkʲɪn],; 17 December 1970),[2] also known by the alias Igor Ivanovich Strelkov (Russian: И́горь Ива́нович Стрелко́в, IPA: [ˈiɡərʲ ɪˈvanəvʲɪtɕ strʲɪlˈkof]), is a Russian army artillery veteran[1] who played a key role in the Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, and later the War in Donbass as an organizer of the Donetsk People's Republic's militant groups.[3][4] Girkin, a self-described Russian nationalist, was charged by Ukrainian authorities with terrorism.[5] He is currently sanctioned by the European Union for his leading role in the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine.[6] Ukrainian authorities have called him a retired colonel of the GRU (Russia's external military intelligence organisation).[6][7][8]