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Eugeniy KarasUkrainian public and political figure
Date of Birth: 14.11.1987
Country:  Ukraine |
Content:
- Early Life and Education
- Political Activism
- Euromaidan
- War in Eastern Ukraine
- Social Activism
- Controversies
- Xenophobia
- Oles Buzyna's Murder
- Russian Sanctions
- Driving Under the Influence
- Conflict with "Strana.ua"
Early Life and Education
Yevhen Karas was born on November 14, 1987, in Kyiv, Ukraine. He attended Kyiv Secondary School No. 284 from 1994 to 2001 before moving to Dnipro Technical Lyceum, where he studied from 2001 to 2005. In 2011, Karas graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv with a Master's degree in Philosophy.
Political Activism
Karas began his political career in 2012 as an assistant to Andriy Illenko, a member of the Ukrainian nationalist party Svoboda. In 2013, he stood trial for organizing riots at a construction site but went into hiding after being declared a wanted fugitive.
Euromaidan
During the Euromaidan protests of 2013-2014, Karas played a significant role as a coordinator of activist groups that seized government buildings in Kyiv, including the Kyiv City State Administration and the House of Trade Unions. After the protests' success, the case against Karas was closed.
War in Eastern Ukraine
Following the outbreak of the conflict in eastern Ukraine, Karas joined the "Kyiv-2" battalion of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. He also served in the "Harpoon" battalion, which specialized in reconnaissance and counter-sabotage operations.
Social Activism
In 2018, Karas founded the "Educational Assembly" organization, which received funding through the Kyiv Public Budget competition. He also led protests against the Nash TV channel, demanding its closure and the dismissal of its creative team.
Controversies
SBU KidnappingIn 2013, Karas and his associates claimed to have seized an SBU agent who was allegedly tasked with intimidating activists.
Xenophobia
Karas has been accused of participating in a march in 2013 that featured racist and anti-Semitic slogans.
Oles Buzyna's Murder
In 2015, two of Karas' associates from the C14 organization, Andriy Medvedko and Denys Polishchuk, were implicated in the murder of journalist Oles Buzyna. Karas himself was briefly detained as a suspect but was later released.
Russian Sanctions
In 2018, Russia imposed sanctions on Yevhen Karas, confusing him with a namesake who owned an art gallery in Kyiv. However, in December of the same year, Karas was added to an updated Russian sanctions list.
Driving Under the Influence
In 2017, Karas was charged with driving under the influence but the case was dismissed due to technical irregularities.
Conflict with "Strana.ua"
Karas clashed with Ihor Huzhva, the editor-in-chief of "Strana.ua," after accusing him of defending pro-government thugs during the Euromaidan protests. Huzhva later fled Ukraine and sought political asylum in Austria, citing threats of violence from Karas.
