The government of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic confirmed that "people's mayor" Vyacheslav Ponomariov has been detained, the BBC's Russian Service has reported.
“According to the recent data from the press service of Donetsk People’s Republic, now Ponomariov is at the premises of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU),” said the report.
Previously, some media referring to the militants in Sloviansk reported about dismissal and arrest of Ponomariov. But the republic’s leadership couldn’t confirm this information, complaining of poor communications with Sloviansk.
On June 10 defense minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, Igor Strelkov, said that Vyacheslav Ponomariov had been removed from office as the “people’s mayor” of Sloviansk.
“The so-called people’s mayor Ponomariov 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 in the social media.
