Helga Pirogova: Difference between revisions

Helga Pirogova
Pirogova in 2023
Born	(1988-10-17) October 17, 1988 (age 37)
Occupation(s)	marketer, politician, anti-war activist
Years active	2011 — present

Helga Vadimovna Pirogova (Russian: Хе́льга Вади́мовна Пирого́ва; born October 17, 1988, Novosibirsk) is a municipal deputy of the Novosibirsk City Council and host of the YouTube channel “Popular Politics [ru]” (created by Maria Pevchikh^[1]). She gained notoriety for her anti-war statements and her criminal case under Article 207.3 for fakes about the Russian Armed Forces.^[2]

Helga was born on October 17, 1988, in Novosibirsk. She graduated from a school with a focus on humanities and aesthetics. She was involved in community service at university, and in 2008, she volunteered at the International Delphic Games.

In 2011, she graduated from the Novosibirsk State Pedagogical University with a degree in preschool pedagogy and psychology.

After university, she worked in the Oktyabrsky District Administration, overseeing interactions with higher and secondary specialized educational institutions, as well as youth policy agencies. In 2014, she transitioned to marketing, working on the opening of the Galeria Novosibirsk shopping center, participating in the organization of city projects and events, developing advertising campaigns for projects in Novosibirsk and Irkutsk, and working for federal and international companies. She also contributed to the “You Can Do It” charitable foundation, which helps children living in neighborhoods with underdeveloped socio-cultural infrastructure.

She participated in all major rallies in defense of citizens’ rights in Novosibirsk. She organized the rally against Leonid Slutsky and co-organized the rally in support of Ivan Golunov.

In March 2022, she attended a parliamentary session wearing a blue embroidered shirt and a wreath of sunflowers. This was her way of protesting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.^[3]

On July 21, Helga was charged with an administrative offense for discrediting the Russian Armed Forces. However, following a personal order from Investigative Committee head Bastrykin, on July 22, a criminal case (207.3) was opened against her for discrediting fake news. However, the administrative case was not dismissed and went to court. The first hearing is scheduled for August 15, 2022.^[4] Thus, Pirogova is being held both administratively and criminally liable for the same tweet. Media reports indicate that the deputy is four months pregnant. After the criminal case was opened, Helga left Russia for Georgia.^[5]

Novosibirsk Oblast Governor Andrey Travnikov called Helga’s statements cynical.^[6]

In August 2022, the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs placed Pirogova on the wanted list, and searches were conducted at her relatives’ homes.^[7]

On June 28, 2023, at a session of the Novosibirsk City Council, a decision was made to strip Helga Pirogova of her parliamentary mandate.^[8]

Helga has a daughter, Agnia, born in 2022.^[9]

On January 31, 2025, Pirogova announced on social media that she had stage 4 cancer.^[10]