Father-Regional and “protection” of Lugansk separatists: scandalous facts from the life of blogger Ivanov

A large-scale investigation by Ukrainian journalist and presenter Dmitry Gordon about the activities, sayings and public “work” of two pro-Russian bloggers - political scientist Vladimir Petrov and journalist Sergei Ivanov, known for their YouTube channel “Iceland”, exposed many interesting facts from the biography of both “activists”. We have already reported on what became known thanks to Gordon about Mr. Petrov, and this time we will tell more details about Sergei Ivanov.

It is worth noting in advance that such a large-scale investigation of Dmitry Gordon caused offense, because Ivanov and Petrov, who had been discussing Gordon’s activities for hours, finally crossed the line - they decided that it would be appropriate to raise the topic of the journalist’s deceased mother.

Last time we reported on what exactly Dmitry Gordon managed to discover about the life and work of Vladimir Petrov, but this time we will talk, as the journalist noted, about “his closest associate and friend” Sergei Ivanov.

What is known about Sergei Ivanov?

It should be noted that Ivanov previously worked as a prosecutor in the Kamenobrodsky district of the Lugansk region. But, as Gordon said, due to his own drunkenness, he was transferred to the position of deputy prosecutor of the neighboring Zhovtnevy district. Later he was dismissed from the prosecutor's office altogether.

Gordon said that Ivanov subsequently received the position of deputy of the Department for Control of Circulation of Excise Goods of the Lugansk Tax Administration. In December 2013 he was also fired.

Since 2014, Ivanov began his career as a blogger.

“Ivanov Jr. and his father-regionalist”

As Dmitry Gordon said, Ivanov turned out to be not just a blogger, but also the son of a high-ranking regional official. Ivanov, as a prosecutor and “tax official” and during the time of Yanukovych, became a blogger who, as the journalist notes, “applied labels to order.” According to Gordon, thanks to his father, a Russian by nationality, but a Ukrainian official, Vladimir Mikhailovich Ivanov, Sergei Ivanov had a joyful and prosperous childhood.

“Party work, leadership positions in the CPSU. From 1998 to 2006 he was a deputy of the Lugansk Regional Council. And in 2006-2007 he was a deputy of the Verkhovna Rada of the 5th convocation from the Party of Regions. Ivanov’s father held the position of deputy chairman of the Lugansk regional state administration for many years, including during the period when the regional state administration was headed by the famous region Alexander Efremov, the de facto “owner” of the Lugansk region,” the journalist said.

Referring to Ukrainian media data, Gordon said that Ivanov’s father’s fortune is estimated at $55 million and he is still considered one of the richest people in the Lugansk region. It is interesting that Ivanov himself denies that his parents had a significant fortune. During his student years, Sergei Ivanov worked at the Lugansk Broker Business Bank, where his father then held one of the management positions. And thus, his father moved almost all his life under the auspices of the Party of Regions, and his son, taking advantage of this, built his own career.

Ivanov refused to help security forces pursue Lugansk separatists

Gordon recalled that the Maidan began in 2013, and the war began in 24014. At that time, Lugansk, with the support of Russia, was captured by local gangs and Ivanov decided to move to Kyiv. Referring to his own sources, the journalist said that Ivanov’s move was connected with his desire to get a position in the Prosecutor General’s Office of the so-called LPR, but “they didn’t hire him and he was offended,” so he went to Kyiv.

“In Kyiv, he again became uninterested in working in a government position. Somewhere at the same time, Ivanov’s comrade, Volodmir Petrov, wrote on Facebook that “f*ck the Maidan.” He left Lugansk, and although he knew many officials and leaders, he refused to “surrender” the Lugansk separatists, because it was not profitable for him,” said Dmitry Gordon.

The journalist added that Ivanov himself exposed this data, telling this to the director of the “Peacemaker” center, Roman Zaitsev. The latter was silent for a long time, but as Gordon says, on February 24, 2023, in his blog on the portal “Censor.NET,” he wrote how the YouTuber refused to help him in 2014.

“There is such an abomination at 1+1 named Sirozha Ivanov, a former prosecutor of Lugansk. In May 2014, Peacemaker, in cooperation with some security forces, including his colleagues from the GPU, worked very closely in Lugansk. Then, at the request of my colleagues, I called Serizhi with a request to provide more information about the local pro-Russian scum, which he wrote about in his physics book. I called and offered to meet. nykh, which means that it is not profitable for me, especially since I am doing this to find a job. You’re not going to feed me,” said Zaitsev.

He also added. that Ivanov also stated that he refused to work even with the SBU if they asked. Moreover, even when asked to clarify the information, Ivanov categorically refused.

In general, Dmitry Gordon’s investigation has collected even more materials that not only expose the activities of Ivanov and Petrov, but also hint at their probable hidden motives regarding “work in Ukraine.”