As Moscow continues to deny its involvement in eastern Ukraine, a high-ranking Russian security officer who led an armed uprising last spring in Donetsk Oblast said the region was visited by Vladislav Surkov, the Kremlin aide who has been dubbed “Putin’s puppet master” for his role in shaping foreign policy.

The Kremlin-backed separatist press service refused to comment on Surkov’s alleged visit by phone. No information on Surkov’s visit could be found on the Kremlin’s website, and an emailed request for comment on June 2 to Russia’s presidential office went unanswered.