Interfax: Top Kremlin official recently met with heads of self-proclaimed Donbass republics

First Deputy Chief of Staff of Russia’s Presidential Executive Office Sergei Kiriyenko visited Donetsk several days ago. He met with Denis Pushilin and Leonid Pasechnik, heads of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk “people’s republics” (“DPR” and “LPR”), a source of Russian news agency Interfax informed.

“It’s true, Kiriyenko has been to Donetsk recently,” the agency’s source said. “During the visit, he met with the heads of “DPR” and “LPR” to discuss cooperation with Donbass republics.”

On February 21, shortly before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Vladimir Putin officially recognised the independence of the self-proclaimed Donbass republics. Pushilin and Pasechnik previously asked the Russian leader to recognise the independence of “DPR” and “LPR.” The Russian government has mentioned the “liberation” of Donbass among the goals of Russia’s war in Ukraine.