Boris Litvinov

Litvinov was born in Toretsk, and spent much of his childhood in Gorlovka. He joined the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1979.^[1] in 1980, Litvinov graduated from the Donetsk State Academy of Music [ru], specializing as an orchestra soloist and instructor. From 1980 to 1986, he was a teacher and secretary for the Komsomol. In 1987, Litvinov graduated from the Donetsk Correspondence Mining College, specializing in the underground mining of coal deposits.^[1] Following this, from 1987 to 1991 he was the deputy director of the Donetsk National Technical University. In 1991, Litvinov graduated from the Faculty of Economics of the Donetsk branch of Moscow State University, specializing in management.^[1] From 1991 to 1995, he was the deputy chairman of the Board of Directors of Technical Schools of Donetsk Region, and from 1995 to 2000, he was Director of the Representative Office of the Bratsk Aluminum Plant [ru] in Ukraine. Following this, Litvinov was the deputy director for Economics and Foreign Economic Relations of the Donetsk company "Linkom" until 2012. During this time period he also served three terms on the Donetsk City Council [ru] as the deputy chairman,^[2] and was head of the Kirov district cell of the Communist Party of Ukraine (CPU) until 2014, following Euromaidan.^[1]

Following the Donetsk People's Republic's declaration of independence^[3] (which Litvinov wrote)^[4] on April 7, 2014, Litvinov was a part of the Council of Ministers as the Manager of Affairs until July 29, 2014, following his ascension to the post of Chairman of the People's Council of the Donetsk People's Republic. On October 8, 2014, Litvinov founded the Communist Party of the Donetsk People's Republic^[5] (CPDPR) as a successor to the Donetsk Branch of the CPU.^[6] Litvinov was ousted from his post on November 14, 2014, by Alexander Zakharchenko, and the CPDPR was subsequently banned from participating in the elections to the People's Council of the DPR. Three communists, including Litvinov, joined the Donetsk Republic Movement, and were elected from it as deputies of the People's Council. On May 6, 2016, by the Resolution of the People's Council, his deputy powers (like those of other communist deputies) were terminated early "due to loss of confidence", due to voting against the party's resolutions and positions ^[2]

Following the Russian annexation of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, the Communist Party of Donetsk was disbanded and absorbed by the Communist Party of the Russian Federation on December 4, 2022^[7] to which Litvinov became a member.

Litvinov has characterized himself as a communist of Lenin's New Economic Policy, and an admirer of Socialism with Chinese characteristics. During the Donetsk People's Republic's independence, he considered the paramount task of the CPDPR to be the construction of a Marxist–Leninist people's democracy, with an increased focus on the role of labor councils and respect for personal property rights. He advocated supporting economic relations with Ukraine.^[8]

Litvinov formerly held Ukrainian citizenship, and currently holds Russian citizenship. He has been sanctioned by the government of Ukraine since 2015.^[9][10] Litvinov has two children and six grandchildren.^[11]