Vadim Rabinovich
Vadim Rabinovich | |
|---|---|
| Вадим Рабінович 'ודים רבינוביץ | |
 Rabinovich in 2009 | |
| People's Deputy of Ukraine | |
| In office 27 November 2014 – 3 November 2022[a] | |
| Constituency |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 4 August 1953 Kharkiv, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union (now Ukraine) |
| Citizenship |
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| Political party | Opposition Platform — For Life (2016–2022)[2] |
| Other political affiliations | Opposition Bloc (2014–2016) |
| Children | 1 daughter, 2 sons |
| Residence(s) | Bitan Aharon, Israel |
| Occupation |
|
| Known for |
|
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Soviet Union |
| Branch/service | Soviet Army |
| Years of service | 1973–1975 |
Vadim Zinovyevich Rabinovich
Born in Kharkiv, Rabinovich spent seven years in Soviet prisons for embezzlement and involvement with the black market, and made aliyah to Israel in the early 1990s, becoming an Israeli citizen in 1999. Rabinovich was a supporter of efforts to restore the Hurva Synagogue, for which a square was named after him after he was mistakenly believed to be deceased. In addition to his leadership of the Jewish community in Ukraine and philanthropic activities in Israel, Rabinovich is known for his support of pro-Russian politics in Ukraine, including his founding of the Opposition Platform — For Life political party and participation in the 2014 Ukrainian presidential and parliamentary elections.
In 2022, Rabinovich left Ukraine shortly after the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, beforehand blaming the possibility of the war on the west and Ukraine on his Facebook. In March 2022, his position as a
Early life and career
In 1970, Rabinovich graduated from Kharkiv Secondary School 45 and entered the Kharkiv National Automobile and Highway University. From 1973 to 1975, he performed mandatory military service in the Soviet Army's Air Defense Army. After leaving the army, Rabinovich was a foreman in the repair and construction department of the Kharkiv City Council.
On 20 January 1980, he was arrested for "embezzlement of state funds in especially large amounts", but was released after a nine-month investigation.[5] Between 1980 and 1982, he headed wooden door production workshops.[citation needed]
Early in 1982, he was again arrested for "embezzlement of state fund in especially large amounts".
In early 1986, following an early release, he began operating a business. Rabinovich, along with Andrii Alioshyn, established the Pinta firm, engaged in trading metals.[citation needed]
Activities in Israel
In the early 1990s, Rabinovich made
Rabinovich has donated over
Some Jewish leaders have accused Rabinovich of trying to buy positive publicity to make up for the negative publicity generated by his financial and political activities.[14]
Activities in Ukraine
In fall 1993, Rabinovich was appointed as Ukrainian representative of Austrian-based Nordex company. The reputation of Nordex president and Russian mafia leader Grigory Luchansky affected the image of Rabinovich.[15] Rabinovich had his visa to the United States revoked in 1995, reportedly due to links to arms dealers.[14]
In 1997, Rabinovich founded the
On 24 June 1999, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) banned Rabinovich from entering Ukraine for a period of 5 years,[16] according to the SBU press service, the because Rabinovich's activity caused considerable damage to the economy of Ukraine. Later media reports said the SBU decision related to Rabinovich leaking information about the sale of ammunition by Ukraine to Yugoslavia despite the international embargo then in effect.[17]
With help from Rabinovich, a monument to victims of terrorism was dedicated in Kyiv by Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, U.S. ambassador John E. Herbst and Russian ambassador Viktor Chernomyrdin on 11 September 2005.[citation needed] Since 1997, he has been president of the All-Ukrainian Jewish Congress. In 2001, Rabinovich became head of the Step Towards Unity Forum of Christians and Jews. In 2011, with fellow Ukrainian oligarch Ihor Kolomoyskyi, he founded the European Jewish Union (now known as the European Jewish Parliament), and served as co-chair of the organisation.[18] He was president of the Arsenal Kyiv football club from 2007 until the club's collapse in 2013.[4][19]
In March 2013, Rabinovich survived an apparent attempt on his life in Kyiv after an explosive device was hurled into Rabinovich's car near Klovska metro station.[20]
2014 Ukrainian presidential and parliamentary election
On 25 March 2014, Rabinovich registered with the Central Election Commission as a self-nominated candidate for the presidency of Ukraine.[21] This was partly to counter the characterization of the new Ukrainian government as antisemitic. After registering, Rabinovich said: "I want to destroy the myth about an anti-semitic Ukraine which is spreading around the world. Probably I'm the most fortunate candidate. Today unification is needed, and I'm a unifying candidate. I have no maniacal thirst for power, I just want to help the country".[21] In the election, he received 2.25% of the vote,[22] with his best showing in Dnipropetrovsk and the Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv and Odesa oblasts. Rabinovich was elected to the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine's parliament) the same year, placing fourth on the pro-Russian Opposition Bloc's electoral list.[23][24]
In July 2016, Rabinovich suspended his membership with the party,[25] and, together with ex-Opposition Bloc member Yevhen Murayev, created the Opposition Platform — For Life political party.[26] However, Rabinovich did not leave the Opposition Bloc parliamentary faction, so as to maintain his status as a People's Deputy.[17] On 15 November 2018, Rabinovich announced he would not take part in the 2019 Ukrainian presidential election, but that he would top the party list in the following 2019 Ukrainian parliamentary election.[27]
In 2021, Rabinovich launched an unsuccessful attempt to impeach Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy over the government's shuttering of three television stations deemed to be pro-Russian.[28]
2022 denunciation and revocation of citizenship
On 14 February 2022, Rabinovich published a post on Facebook, stating that "the war has started" and blaming the West and Ukraine for it.
On 17 March 2022 his own party, Opposition Platform — For Life, terminated his term of office as a People's Deputy.[2] due to his support for Russia during the Russian invasion. On 6 September 2022 Rabinovich asked the Supreme Court of Ukraine to overturn this decision as an alleged violation of the established parliamentary procedure.[2]
In April 2022,
In July 2022, reports emerged that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had signed a decree to revoke Rabinovich's Ukrainian citizenship.[31] On 3 November 2022 the Ukrainian parliament officially ended Rabinovich's position as a People's Deputy, because of his loss of Ukrainian citizenship.[1]
In July 2023, the State Bureau of Investigation announced that Rabinovich was wanted on suspicion on treason, claiming that he had "made manipulative statements that harmed the sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability, state, economic and information security of Ukraine. His propaganda activities helped the leadership of the russian federation to achieve its military and political goals" [32]
Political positions
Rabinovich stands for a non-aligned status of Ukraine, administrative reform and deep
Personal life
Vadim Rabinovich is married to Irina Rabinovich and has three children: son Oleh (born 1973), daughter Katerina (born 1994), and son Jacob (born 2008).[34]
Media holdings
 | This section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources. (September 2022) |
Rabinovich founded Media International Group (MIG), which included the Stolichnye Novosti publishing company, the MIGnovosti and MIGnews newspapers in Ukraine and Israel, respectively, and the Delovaya Nedelya business weekly, in 2000. MIG later purchased Novoe Russkoe Slovo (New Russian Word, the oldest Russian newspaper in the US), the Narodnaia Volna radio station, the CN-Stolichnye Novosti political weekly and the Stolichka daily newspaper. Rabinovich co-owned Jewish News One from 2011 until its closure in 2014.
Notes
References
- ^ Ukrayinska Pravda(in Ukrainian). Retrieved 3 November 2022.
- ^ a b c Savenko, Mark (6 September 2022). "Рабінович подав до суду на "ОПЗЖ"" [Rabinovich sues OPZZh]. Ukrainian News Agency (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 25 September 2022.
- ^ Times of Israel. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
- ^ a b "Ukrainian, Russian Oligarchs Find Common Ground -- Soccer". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 13 November 2013. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
- ^ Вадим Рабінович: нардеп із двома судимостями. Політека (in Ukrainian). 30 August 2017. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
- ^ Журналисты вспомнили темные пятна из жизни Вадима Рабиновича (in Russian). Retrieved 12 June 2018.
- ^ "'I am the Obama of Ukraine,' says Jewish presidential hopeful". The Times of Israel.
- ^ "Журналист опубликовал справку об израильском гражданстве депутата Рабиновича". ukranews.com. 13 November 2017.
- ^ "Israeli News | The Jerusalem Post". The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on 26 May 2014.
- Jerusalem Post, 28 March 2008.
- ^ From ruin to reconstruction, the Hurva Synagogue is completed – again, Jewish Journal, 9 March 2010.
- Jerusalem Post, 1 June 2012. Archived 17 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Why was Old City square named after Ukrainian oligarch, 500 years before his time?, The Time of Israel, 1 May 2012
- ^ a b c Rabinovich rallies his supporters, Kyiv Post (8 April 1999)[dead link]
- ^ "Отсидка, коррупция и поставка оружия террористам". from-ua.com. 3 August 2017.
- ^ "Рабинович Вадим" [Rabinovich Vadim]. Думская (Dumskaya.net) (in Russian). Retrieved 13 March 2023.
- ^ a b "ХТО КОМУ РАБІНОВИЧ". umoloda.kyiv.ua. 7 February 2018.
- ^ European Jewish Parliament off to a semi-comedic start – JWeekly, 3 November 2011
- Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
- ^ "Ukrainian Jewish leader Rabinovich survives blast". The Times of Israel.
- ^ a b "President of All-Ukrainian Jewish Congress Rabynovych to register as presidential candidate".
- ^ "Poroshenko wins presidential election with 54.7% of vote – CEC". Radio Ukraine International. 29 May 2014. Archived from the original on 29 May 2014. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
(in Russian) Results election of Ukrainian president, Телеграф (29 May 2014) - ^ Poroshenko Bloc to have greatest number of seats in parliament, Ukrinform (8 November 2014)
People's Front 0.33% ahead of Poroshenko Bloc with all ballots counted in Ukraine elections – CEC, Interfax-Ukraine (8 November 2014)
Poroshenko Bloc to get 132 seats in parliament – CEC, Interfax-Ukraine (8 November 2014) - Ukrayinska Pravda(19 September 2014)
- ^ "From the Opposition bloc goes Rabinovich – Ukrop News 24". ukropnews24.com. Archived from the original on 9 November 2016.
- ^ "Party 'the Center' received a new name". Archived from the original on 9 November 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
- ^ For Life Party's leader Rabinovich not to run for president of Ukraine, Interfax-Ukraine (15 November 2018)
- ^ a b Liphshiz, Cnaan. "Ukraine adds local Jewish leader to list of pro-Russian 'traitors'". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
- ^ Liphshiz, Cnaan (21 April 2022). "Ukraine adds local Jewish leader to list of pro-Russian 'traitors'". The Times of Israel.
- ^ Liphshiz, Cnaan (20 April 2022). "Ukrainian Jewish leader added to list of pro-Russia 'traitors'". J. The Jewish News of Northern California.
- ^ Nahaylo, Bohdan (21 July 2022). "Have Kolomoisky, Rabynovych and Korban been stripped of their Ukrainian citizenship? – KyivPost – Ukraine's Global Voice". KyivPost. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
- ^ State Bureau of Investigation (27 July 2023). "SBI announces suspicion of treason to former MP from OPFL Rabinovych". Archived from the original on 3 September 2023.
- ^ Civil movement "Chesno"(2017)
- ^ "Рабинович Вадим".
Notes
External links
Media related to Vadim Rabinovich at Wikimedia Commons- An interview with Vadim Rabinovich, president of the All-Ukrainian Jewish Congress, 9 July 2004.
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