Ismail Abdullaiev
Ismail Adaliatovych Abdullaiev | |
|---|---|
Ісмаїл Адалятович Абдуллаєв | |
_Adaliatovych_Abdullaiev.jpg) | |
| Born | May 23, 1966 |
| Nationality | Ukraine, Russia |
| Other names | Vladimir Abdullaev |
| Alma mater | Donetsk Polytechnic Institute |
| Occupation | Television director |
| Television | |
Ismail Adaliatovych Abdullaiev (born 23 May 1966), also identified as Vladimir Abdullaev (), holds Russian citizenship and originates from Donetsk Oblast. He currently leads the pro-Russian broadcaster Tavria TV as its director and previously managed Oplot TV until 2018.[1][2] Since October 2022, Ukraine has imposed sanctions on him, and he appears in the Ukrainian registries of state traitors, including Myrotvorets and Chesno.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name[3][4] In June 2023, the Security Service of Ukraine formally issued a suspicion notice against him.[5]
Early life
Born on 23 May 1966 in Donetsk, then part of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Ismail Adaliatovych Abdullaiev pursued studies in chemical engineering at the Donetsk Polytechnic Institute. Between 1987 and 1996, he represented his university as a participant in the Soviet-era KVN comedy competition.
His initial foray into directing was with the now-defunct Bordiur production company, which he officially registered on 24 June 1998.
Separatist activities
Following the outbreak of the Russo-Ukrainian War in 2014, Abdullaiev supported the establishment of independence for the Donetsk People's Republic. Despite this stance, certain Ukrainian officials, including , regarded him as a comparatively moderate separatist willing to engage in political discussions.
After separatists took control of the facilities in 2014, Abdullaiev founded Oplot TV, positioning it as the primary regional broadcaster for Donetsk. He negotiated an exclusive arrangement with separatist leader Oleksandr Zakharchenko to air his interviews and facilitated broadcasts of videos by pro-Russian journalist Anatolii Sharii on Oplot TV.
Following Zakharchenko’s death in 2018, control of Oplot TV transferred to the , which resulted in Abdullaiev stepping down from his directorial role.
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
In the wake of Russia’s occupation of Kherson oblast, Russian authorities aimed to establish media outlets aligned with their administration. After taking over technical assets of , Ismail Abdullaiev was appointed on 11 August 2022 to lead the newly created broadcaster Tavria TV. The channel’s launch was supported by officials from Russia’s Kaliningrad oblast, notably Governor Anton Alikhanov and Sergey Eliseev. Local collaborator Kyrylo Stremousov also provided significant backing for Tavria TV.
Since assuming this position, Abdullaiev has officially operated under the alias Vladimir Abdullaev.
In August 2022, Tavria TV contributed to founding a media school at Kherson State University designed to educate pro-Russian journalists from the local population. Abdullaiev played an active role as both lecturer and organizer. Graduates from this program were subsequently employed by Tavria TV in roles such as video editing and camera operation.
On 19 October 2022, a presidential decree placed Abdullaiev on the sanctions list maintained by the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine.
On 21 October 2022, Abdullaiev stated that Tavria TV journalists were struck by a Ukrainian attack involving an M142 HIMARS rocket system targeting the Antonivskyi Bridge, reporting that two colleagues lost their lives; he himself was nearby but escaped injury.
Following Kherson's liberation on 9 November 2022, Tavria TV temporarily halted its broadcasts pending relocation. The station resumed operations from Henichesk on 21 November with Abdullaiev continuing as director.
On 8 June 2023, the Security Service of Ukraine issued a formal notice of suspicion against Abdullaiev.
Personal life
A portion of Ismail Abullaiev's Bordiur production enterprise was officially registered under the name of his spouse, Hanna Ivanivna Abullaieva. His son, Volodymyr Ismailovych Abdullaiev, who serves as a member of the youth parliament within the Donetsk People's Republic, actively assists him in several initiatives.
Following the onset of the Russo-Ukrainian conflict in 2014, Abdullaiev acquired citizenship of the Russian Federation.
References
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