Part 2/9:
Gerkin’s notoriety stems from his pivotal role in events such as the Russian annexation of Crimea and the Donbas war. As a former officer of the FSB (Federal Security Service) and an army veteran, he plunged into the insurgency that saw the emergence of self-declared republics in Eastern Ukraine. His actions, however, led to consequences; in 2024, he was sentenced to four years in prison for inciting extremism and faced a life sentence (in absentia) for his part in the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, which resulted in the deaths of 298 civilians.