As Ukraine’s forces surround the last pro-Russian separatist strongholds in Donetsk and Luhansk, several of the rebellion’s most prominent faces have been replaced. RFE/RL reports

Some are in Moscow. Others seem to have mysteriously disappeared.

As Ukraine’s forces surround the last pro-Russian separatist strongholds in Donetsk and Luhansk, many of the more prominent faces of the rebels appear to be dropping out of the fight. And they are largely being replaced by local unknowns.

Here’s a rundown who’s in and who’s out in the self-proclaimed people’s republics of Donetsk and Luhansk:

Out: Igor Girkin, aka Strelkov (‘the shooter’)



The former defense minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR), Igor Girkin, who is widely known by his nom-de-guerre, Strelkov, has been romanticised by pro-Russian rebels and called a war criminal by Kiev.

Ukrainian authorities have accused Strelkov, a Russian nationalist from Moscow, of working for the GRU, Russia’s military intelligence, since he arrived in Donetsk in April.

Strelkov, however, has been neither seen nor heard from since 13 August, when the news service of the separatist republic reported him “gravely injured.” Although several officials walked back on that claim, his “resignation” was announced the next day by Alexander Borodai – a friend from Moscow and formerly the DNR’s de facto prime minister. Strelkov, he said, will be given another job.

In: Volodymyr Kononov

If you’re going to replace Strelkov, the man supporters compare to the Spartan warrior King Leonidas I, it makes sense to start the myth-making from the outset. When Borodai announced Strelkov’s exit, he said simply that he would be replaced by the “Tsar.”

The “Tsar,” as it turns out, is Vladimir Kononov, a 40-year-old Luhansk native and former judo instructor. He has commanded a division of separatist fighters in Donetsk since April and has promised to “solve the strategic task of repelling Ukraine’s military aggression” according to the DNR’s official press service. Little else is known about him.



Out: Alexander Borodai

A Muscovite, Borodai wrote for the ultranationalist newspaper “Zavtra” with Strelkov and is believed to have close ties to Russia’s intelligence services. Borodai entered the pro-Russian separatist scene in May when he was appointed the prime minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Alexander Borodai (left), ex-premier of the self proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, shakes hands with Alexander Zakharchenko, who heads a the rebel unit Oplot. Photograph: Sergei Karpukhin/Reuters

With his close-cut beard and signature blue blazer, Borodai sometimes seemed like the closest thing the separatist republics had to a legitimate spokesperson.

But after the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 and a bizarre late-night press conference in which he handed over the plane’s flight recorder to Malaysian officials in a plastic rubbish bag, his stock appeared to fall.

In a press conference on 7 August, Borodai announced his resignation, claiming he had really only come in as a “startup manager” and that the role of prime minister should belong to a local. He has since departed for Moscow, although he said at the time that he would continue in the role of deputy prime minister for the DNR.

In: Alexander Zakharchenko

Replacing Borodai is Donetsk native Alexander Zakharchenko, a former mine technician and the leader of the Donetsk chapter of Oplot, a police-advocacy group that has provided fighters to the separatists.



The 38-year-old, who was one of the leaders in the storming of the Donetsk regional administration building in April, called for a cease-fire soon after his appointment and said that separatists needed “only moral support” from Moscow.

Out: Valeriy Bolotov

A Luhansk businessman with degrees in economics and business, Bolotov survived an assassination attempt and escaped capture by the Ukrainian Army during his time as the “people’s governor” of the self-declared Luhansk People’s Republic (LNR).

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Valeriy Bolotov, then self-proclaimed people’s governor of Luhansk, in May 2014. Photograph: Evgeniy Maloletka/AP

In a video shot in early April that has become popular among separatist supporters, Bolotov takes off his mask to declare he will be fighting for “our land.”

His “temporary resignation” on 14 August came unexpectedly. In a video, he says unspecified injuries would prevent him from continuing to lead the self-declared republic, and he would seek medical treatment in Russia.

In: Ihor Plotnitskiy

Named to replace Bolotov at the helm of Luhansk’s separatist government, Plotnitskiy was once a Luhansk bureaucrat, working as the head of quality control at the local consumer inspection agency. Plotnitskiy previously served as LNR’s de facto defence minister.

Status unclear: Igor Bezler (aka Bez, or ‘Demon’)

Nicknamed “Demon,” Igor Bezler, the commander of separatist forces in the Donetsk city of Horlivka, is a former funeral director. Bezler is known for his unpredictable behaviour, and has been accused by Ukraine’s Security Service of giving the order to shoot down the Malaysian airliner.

Igor Bezler, nicknamed the Demon, in an image taken earlier this year. Photograph: Alexei Kravtsov

As Ukrainian forces have closed in on the city of Horlivka, rumours of Bezler’s demise have been rife. He has not been seen since the end of July, when Ukrainian media reported that he had fled to Moscow. His unit is still active, however, and on 14 August, separatist press issues a statement about their recent military victories.