Viktor Medvedchuk, President Vladimir Putin's chosen negotiator in peace talks in the Donbass, has denied that he represents the pro-Russian separatists' interests.
As we reported earlier, Medvedchuk, a prominent pro-Russian Ukrainian businessman, has been placed on sanctions lists by Western governments for his support of Putin's military action in Ukraine.
The Interpreter has provided a translation of Medvedchuk's Facebook post:Neither in Donetsk or earlier, have I ever represented the interests of the DPR (Donetsk People's Republic) and the LPR (Lugansk People's Republic). We have been conducted, and are continuing to conduct negotiations with representatives of the DPR and LPR as part of a mediators' negotiation group for achieving a peace settlement to the conflict in the East of Ukraine. The information which was supposedly disseminated on behalf of the OSCE is unreliable.
The self-proclaimed "Donetsk People's Republic" and "Lugansk People's Republic" have now united and proclaimed a "unified constitution of Novorossiya," using the term for a long-sought utopian ideal of a "new Russia" incorporating territories of Ukraine, Moldova, and Belarus.
The unification was announced at a press conference by Aleksandr Boroday, the self-proclaimed "prime minister" reported on Twitter by the "Donetsk People's Republic" account, and by the Russian radio station Ekho Moskvy.
The new confederaiton is to be called "the Union of People's Republics."
There was no word on what happened to Vyacheslav Ponomarev, the Slavyansk "people's mayor" who was reported arrested and executed last week, although the information was not confirmed.
The "Union of People's Republics" is also growing more "democratic" as it has now proclaimed a list of deputies to serve in a "parliament".
The office of the mayor of Donetsk, Oleksandr Lukyanchenko, has posted a warning of a report of gunfire in the city (translated by The Interpreter):
At around 17:00 [14:00 GMT] gunfire was briefly heard near the Putilovsky flyover.
According to unconfirmed reports, the shooting came from DNR supporters towards Donetsk airport, which was expecting an attack that has not come. A team of investigators, led by the chief of the city department of the Interior Ministry, Yuri Sednyev, has left for the scene of the incident.
No details of casualties have been reported at this time.
Meanwhile, Aleksandr Boroday, the self-declared prime minister of the 'Donetsk People's Republic (DNR), has said that Putin's request for the Russian Federation Council to rescind approval for Russian military action inside Ukraine does not apply to the territory claimed by the separatists:
Dmytro Tymchuk of Information Resistance has posted more information on the downing of the Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopter on Karachun hill near Slavyansk.
He reports that the helicopters was shot down by separatist fighters using MANPADS.
According to preliminary reports, 9 servicemen were killed, including the 3 crew members.
Ukrainska Pravda reports (translated by The Interpreter):
The incident is strongly reminiscent of the downing of another Mi-8 on May 29 that killed fourteen, including General Volodymyr Kulchitsky. The helicopter was taking off from the same hill when it was struck by a surface-to-air missile.A Ukrainian Mi-8 military aircraft has been shot down on Karachun hill outside Slavyansk by terrorists.
This was reported to Ukrainska Pravda by National Guard troops, who are stationed at one of the checkpoints near the town.
According to them, the helicopter was shot down while taking off from the hill.
One of the sources added that the site from which the helicopter had been fired on had been identified.
Military vehicles have been sent there.