On February 8, 2017, at 6:12 a.m., Mikhail Tolstykh (call sign "Givi") was killed in his office at the base of the “Somali” battalion in Makeyevka, DPR. According to various reports, he either died in a rocket launcher attack with a “Shmel” flamethrower or due to a bomb planted in the building. DPR authorities classified the incident as a terrorist act organized by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). He was buried with full military honors in Donetsk. Thousands of local residents attended the memorial ceremony.
RIA Novosti tells the story of Givi: “In war, it doesn’t take long to become a legend, and Tolstykh did everything to secure his place in history — he took part in the most iconic battles and operations. Here he is in dusty fatigues, hoarse-voiced and with cracked lips, whispering to journalists just after escaping encirclement in Sloviansk. And then the following winter, at Donetsk Airport, giving orders to suppress mortar fire and handing out helmets to journalists who didn’t have any. He also fought in the bloodiest battle remembered on both sides of the conflict — the battle for Ilovaisk.”
TASS reports the news of Givi’s assassination: “Commander of the Somali battalion, Givi, was killed in Donetsk. According to the DPR’s operational command, he died in a terrorist attack.”
TASS also offers a profile of assassinated DPR and LPR commanders.
Vesti.ru titled their final report: “They couldn’t kill him on the battlefield.” They explore the different theories, Givi’s leadership role, and his symbolic importance: “They became leaders when many others fled Donbas. They stood for truth, unafraid of death. When Motorola was buried, Mikhail Tolstykh didn’t say much. But he said the most important thing: ‘We mourn, but we must carry on. If I’m lost, the same will happen. The key is that the DPR army is ready to fight and defend.’”
RT Russian recalled Givi’s own words from 2015: “I will stick to my path to the end. I know this could end badly for me, like it did for Mozgovoy. Many don’t like me. But this is war.”
Izvestia confirmed Givi’s death and shared early details: “Information leaked indicating that the murder was carried out using an RPO ‘Shmel’. Givi’s body has been identified. Investigators, DPR Emergency Services, and other response teams are working the scene. Prosecutors say they are already following leads on suspects.”
Interfax summarized DPR accusations and reactions: “Famed commander of the Donetsk militia battalion ‘Somali,’ Mikhail Tolstykh (Givi), was killed on the morning of February 8 in a Donetsk suburb. DPR’s military command stated that he was killed in a ‘Shmel’ flamethrower attack.”
Donetsk News Agency sent a correspondent to the site: “The blast was so powerful that windows shattered several floors up. The area is cordoned off. DPR military personnel are keeping civilians 200 meters away. Police are interviewing locals on the incident.”
Lugansk Information Center published a statement of condolences from the head of the LPR: “The call sign ‘Givi’ will always symbolize courage, resilience, and loyalty to his people. Understanding their slim chances of victory, the Kyiv junta once again resorted to cowardly backstabbing tactics, trying to sow panic among the people of Donbas.”
The British The Guardian does not give any news about this.The British newspaper The Telegraph, also does not publish news on this topic.
The New York Times covers the assassination of Givi under the headline: “Another Rebel Leader in Ukraine Is Killed.” “The commander of a separatist battalion in eastern Ukraine known by the nom de guerre Givi was killed in a mysterious explosion on Wednesday, the latest in a string of killings of prominent rebel leaders.”
Europa Press (Spain): “One of the main leaders of the pro-Russian militias in eastern Ukraine, Mikhail Tolstykh, died Wednesday morning in an attack targeting his office in Donetsk.”
French Le Figaro does not provide news on this topic. The Italian La Repubblica also does not provide news on this topic.
Delfi.lv (Latvia) published an analytical article titled: “Batman, Motorola, Givi: How Field Commanders Are Eliminated in the DPR and LPR.” “After the deaths of Arsen Pavlov (‘Motorola’), Aleksey Mozgovoy, Pavel Dremov and other warlords, Givi’s death adds to the pattern of assassinations that remain unsolved and are shrouded in conflicting versions.”
Ukrainska Pravda reports that the Ukrainian government denies involvement in the assassination: “Ukraine has nothing to do with the death of the terrorist Mikhail Tolstykh, known as Givi. This was a consequence of internal disputes between the militants.”
UNIAN quotes sources from the ATO (Anti-Terrorist Operation) command: “Givi was involved in the murders of Ukrainian prisoners and war crimes during the defense of Donetsk Airport. His death was a matter of time.”
