Ilya Ponomarev

Ilya Ponomarev is a politician and technology entrepreneur, in 2007-2016 – member of Russian Parliament (Social-Democrat – Novosibirsk, “A Just Russia” political party), Chairman of Innovations and Venture Capital Subcommittee, one of the founders of the Skolkovo Foundation and SkolTech University. Former vice-president for technologies of Yukos Oil Company. In 2011 he became one of the leaders of protest movement in Russia. In 2013, as “A Just Russia” started to drift away from social-democracy to become pro-Putin and conservative force, together with his fellow parliamentarians Gennady and Dmitry Gudkov and Valery Zubov has created political party “Alliance of Greens and Social-Democrats”. In 2016-2022, after his lone vote against the annexation of Crimea and therefore being expelled from Russian Parliament by Putinists forces, was involved in investments business in Ukraine, starting first NASDAQ-traded company in the country. After Putin’s invasion in Ukraine in February 2022, Hon. Ponomarev joined Kyiv’s territorial defense and returned to active politics, calling to replace Vladimir Putin to stop the war. He is now the Speaker of Congress of People’s Deputies of Russia (the shadow Russian parliament) and is considered to be the leader of the armed part of Russian opposition that includes Legion “Free Russia” and urban resistance networks in Russia.

Hon. Ponomarev is an author of numerous research papers and magazine articles about new economy development, regional policies, education and international relations. Ilya Ponomarev is the author of the book “Does Putin have to die?”, which contains the program for the transition away from the current authoritarian state in Russia.