llya 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. 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, Ilya took part in creation of political party “Alliance of Greens and Social-Democrats”. In 2016-2022, after being expelled from Russian Parliament by putinist forces, was involved in investments business in Ukraine, was the founder of the first NASDAQ-listed company from Ukraine. 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 a member of the Executive Council of Congress of People’s Deputies of Russia and the political coordinator for Legion “Freedom of Russia”.
