The reason for abduction is Russia's desire to abandon the DPR and LPR, according to the publication.
It is noted that the ouster of Purgin and his replacement by Denys Pushylin indicates that the Kremlin wants to move toward implementing the Minsk agreements. This is also evidenced by the fact that the intensity of fighting in Donbas has decreased sharply this month.
In addition, The Times cites the contents of a document of the Security Service of Ukraine, which states that the main priority for the Kremlin is now a handoff of the DPR and LPR to Ukraine on Russian terms.
According to the document, Russia will not violate the territorial integrity of Ukraine and shift the financial costs for the restoration of Donbas to Kyiv.
Read alsoFrom Kremlin-armed Donbas militants to millionaire criminal bossesPurgin had previously enjoyed the support of the Russian authorities. However, he was a hindrance for the Kremlin's plans to downplay the conflict in Ukraine amid Russia's military engagement in Syria.
According to the former leader of the DPR Oleksandr Boroday, "Purgin was an extremely independent figure and adhered to his political line."
Read alsoMilitant-occupied areas of Donbas switch to Russian rubleWestern diplomats also stress that the Russian maneuvering in a situation with Ukraine is connected with the increase of Russian presence in Syria. Involvement Syria, in turn, can be used as a trump card to obtain certain concessions in the talks on Ukraine. Diplomats believe that Putin's speech at the UN General Assembly, scheduled for September 27, would hold the new key messages.
Earlier, Russian media reported on the so-called "coup d'etat" in the "Donetsk People's Republic" in which the DPR parliament sacked its "speaker" Andrei Purgin. "Deputy speaker" Denys Pushylin took over Purgin's duties.
Later, it became known that Purgin was under arrest following the coup in the DPR.
On September 8, the DPR militants released him after four days of arrest.
