"A public figure and one of the first political leaders of the pro-Russian separatist protests in the Southeast of Ukraine in the spring of 2014, during which he declared himself the “people’s governor” of the Donetsk Region, but did not receive real power. He was one of the self-proclaimed leaders of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR). He established “People’s Militia of Donbass” civic organization and was responsible for recruiting people to the People’s Militia of the DNR.

Before 2014, he had been a businessman and since the start of the war in the Donbas he had been supporting financially the separatist movement. He is an owner of NOVOROSSIYA TV channel and Radio station, and even DNR LIVE internet portal. A former member of the neo-Nazi “Russian National Unity”.

In March 2014, he was arrested by the SBU, but later he was released to exchange for Ukrainian special agency officers. Then Gubariev became head of the Mobilization Department of the DNR Ministry of Defense.

As of 2022, under personal international sanctions of the European Union, the UK, the USA, and some other countries."