Main news of Donbas: “DPR” opens shops, Commemoration of a deputy killed by militants

Situation at the front

4 Ukrainian servicemen and one Border Guard Service officer were wounded as a result of Stanytsya Luhanska shelling (the Luhansk region). The information was presented by the press service of Luhansk regional military and civil administration. 

Situation on the territory which is controlled by Ukrainian authorities

About 600 people gathered in Kramatorsk (the Donetsk region) to mark the unity of Ukraine on April 17. City residents and activists held a “March of Free People”. 



Volodymyr Rybak, deputy of Horlivka Town Council who was killed by “DPR” militants two years ago was commemorated in Kyiv on April 17. In April 2014, deputy Volodymyr Rybak (“Batlivschyna” political party) was kidnapped and then killed. He became one of the first victims of the so-called “Russian spring” in the Donbas.



Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Rozenko reminded that payment of social benefits will be resumed for Ukrainian citizens who live on the occupied territories when Minsk Agreements are fully implemented and territorial integrity of Ukraine is restored. To get social allowance, Ukrainian citizens must be registered as IDPs and live on the territory which is controlled by Ukrainian authorities.

Situation on the occupied territory

The “Donetsk people’s republic” grouping, which controls a part of the territory of the Donetsk region, claims that its budget for the second quarter of 2016 has been approved of. According to the data of the occpational “administration”, “growth is to be up to 20% compared to the first quarter”. At the same time, Yekaterina Matyuschenko, who calls herself “DPR minister of finance” does not inform about the sum of the budget and its deficit.

Serhiy Zakharchenko, Alenksandr Zakharchenko’s brother, started a fight in one of Donetsk pubs ("Beerstown”). The drunk man stabbed a waiter on the throat with a broken glass. The accident was reported by Aleksand Khodakovsky, leader of “Vostok” militants’ faction. 



“Donetsk City” shopping and entertainment centre which had been closed for more than a year and a half re-opened in occupied Donetsk on April 17. 

Aleksandr Zhuchkovsky, Russian nationalist who supports “DPR”, reports on his page on Facebook that Roman Lyagin (member of the illegal faction) was beaten after the conflict with the leaders of the “DPR” faction. Lyagin was the head of the so-called “election committee” and took part in preparing and conducting the survey which was called “referendum” on May 11, 2014. Lyagin supported the activity of Aleksandr Lhodakovsky, an “ex-chief of DPR security council” who is in disgrace now. He also used to criticize Alksandr Zakharchenko, “DPR leader” now and then. As “DPR” sites inform, there has been no mobile connection with Lyagin since April 12.

Russian authorities are not interested in the fate of the country’s citizens who have taken part in the Donbas hostilities. The regret was expressed by Igor Girlin, ex-leader of militants. He claims that neither Ministry of Internal Affairs of the RF, nor special services are interested in the Russian citizens who are in the Donbas now. Girkin states that “LPR” and “DPR” factions are “clueless and inconsistent” when it comes to captives’ exchange as they can exchange anyone, even people who are not miltants for Ukrainian soldiers. 

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