Igor Bezler
Igor Nikolayevich Bezler (Russian: Игорь Николаевич Безлер; Ukrainian: Ігор Миколайович Бєзлєр, romanized: Ihor Mykolayovych Byezlyer; born 1965, Simferopol, Crimean Oblast, Ukrainian SSR), known by the pseudonym "Bes" (Russian: Бес, English: Imp) is one of the pro-Russian rebel leaders whose group controlled the local police department in Horlivka.
Lieutenant Colonel Igor Bezler | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | "Bes" (Imp) |
| Born | 30 December 1965 Simferopol, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union |
| Allegiance | Soviet Union (until 1991) Ukraine (1991–2014) Donetsk People's Republic (2014–present) |
| Service/ | Donbas People's Militia |
| Rank | Major General |
| Battles/wars | Soviet–Afghan War Russo-Ukrainian War |
| Awards | Order of the Red Star Order of Courage |
He was a prominent commander in the early phases of the Russo-Ukrainian War: the 2014 Russian military intervention in Crimea and the 2014 War in Donbas. In 2014 he went into hiding and as of 2016 issued statements denouncing the Russian-backed separatist groups.
In November 2020 Bellingcat claimed that Bezler, with a fake Russian passport issued to the name of Igor Nikoalevich Beregovoy (Игорь Николаевич Береговой), lives in Russian annexed Crimea since October 2014.