Interfax reports, citing a "source in the security structures of the DNR," that Andrei Purgin, the former speaker of the People's Soviet, has been arrested.
The source told Interfax that "Purgin, according to unofficial reports, has been detained and is in Donetsk."
The source added that the chief of the staff of the People's Soviet, Alexei Aleksandrov, was wanted.
Interfax has not yet been able to obtain official confirmation of this from the DNR security forces
An official statement has been published by Donetsk News Agency (DAN). The "press office of the People's Soviet" told DAN:
"The decision on the dismissal of Andrei Purgin from the post of chairman was taken at a session of the People's Soviet by an overwhelming majority. Denis Pushilin has been appointed as the acting Chairman."
(All translations by The Interpreter),
Sputnik, the English-language propaganda outlet run by the Russian government, has already posted an article about how "Denis Pushilin Becomes Interim Speaker of DPR Parliament - Source."
Denis Pushilin was elected on Friday interim speaker of the parliament (People's Council) of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) in eastern Ukraine, a source told RIA Novosti.
"Pushilin is the interim head of the DPR People's Council," the source, who spoke on the phone on condition of anonymity, said.
According to the source, the decision was adopted at an extraordinary meeting of the People's Council.
If true, this means Andrei Purgin has been ousted in the emergency session. As we've been reporting, Purgin was allegedly stopped at the Russian border and denied entry into separatist-held territory in Ukraine. Now there is a rumor that Purgin has been arrested.
The news appears to have broken via RIA Novosti, run by Sputnik's parent company. In other words, this "source" cited by Sputnik may be a Russian government official.
Meanwhile there is another hot rumor -- that Russian paratroopers took over Donetsk city hall today:
Those rumors were just that -- there is no confirmation of what is happening in Donetsk.
Now journalist Oliver Carroll has more information, though still unconfirmed, that a coup may have been attempted:
There is also speculation as to the cause of the standoff, though at issue are two key aspects of governance -- whether or not the Russian-backed separatists feel adequately supported by Moscow, and whether or not their military should negotiate with Ukraine or continue to fight. Since the Russian military plays a key role in these battles, those issues are nearly impossible to separate.
-- James Miller
Russia's Interfax news agency reports that delegates at the trilateral peace talks in Minsk have reached an agreement on the withdrawal of more weaponry from the front line in the Donbass.
The agency cites an unnamed source in the "sub-group" of negotiators, who says that a document, which they describe as a compromise, has been agreed upon.
The document is reportedly based upon previous drafts submitted by the various parties.
The results of the sub-group meeting will be relayed by the coordinator of the meeting from the OSCE, which will also be sent a copy of the document for review.
If all goes well, the source says, members of the trilateral Contact Group will receive a draft of the document to inspect as soon as September 8.
The draft agreement provides for the withdrawal of all weaponry with a calibre of less than 100 mm.
This follows previous agreements in Minsk which stipulated the withdrawal of heavy artillery and rocket systems.
This agreement has been violated on a daily basis since the signing of the second Minsk agreement in February.
Despite the apparent success of the latest ceasefire in dramatically reducing the level of violence on the front line, both the Ukrainian government and the Russian-backed separatists have accused each other of using 120 and 82 mm mortars in recent days.
-- Pierre Vaux
There are several unconfirmed reports on Twitter of fighting heard near Marinka, west of Donetsk, and Gnutovo, north-east of Mariupol.
Translation: Bangs somewhere near Oktyabr. But still not loud.
Translation: Now they're shooting near the Chernenko-Gnutovo checkpoint. Could be training.
Translation: VKontakte: #Marinka "17:50 - they're shooting every now and then 18:05 - it's become more frequent. Don't go outside. Bullets are flying in all directions.
Translation: VKontakte: #Krasnogorovka "18:30 bangs can be heard from the direction of Marinka"
-- Pierre Vaux