Vyacheslav Ponomaryov has been removed from the office of the “people’s mayor” of Slovyansk, the defense minister for the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, Igor Strelkov, announced on June 10.

“The so-called people’s mayor Ponomaryov has been removed from office for conducting an activity incompatible with the goals and objectives of the civilian administration. I cannot say more for now,” Strelkov wrote on his Facebook page.