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The SBU Security Service of Ukraine has intercepted conversations of the leaders of the so-called "Donetsk People's Republic" ("DPR"), in which they discussed changes in the power vertical after the assassination of "DPR" leader Alexander Zakharchenko and the coordination of these changes with the Kremlin.

The relevant records were published by the SBU, according to its press service.

It is reported late on September 6, Alexander Kazakov, Zakharchenko's former "adviser," phoned Dmitry Trapeznikov, who was acting head of the "DPR" at that time.

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As it became clear from the conversation, they explicitly counted on the settlement of the "situation" by Russian President Vladimir Putin's adviser Vladislav Surkov, who is also known as the Moscow supervisor of the occupied territories of Donbas.

During the conversation, the terrorists expressed the hope for a "verdict" after an emergency meeting in Moscow regarding Russia's final approval of a new head of the "DPR" and the composition of the "Council of Ministers of the DPR."

At around 21:00 local time on the same day, another conversation took place between Dmitry Trapeznikov and Denis Pushilin, who served as the self-styled "parliament" chairman. They coordinated their actions together with Vladimir Pavlenko, the "head of the Ministry of Civil Defense of the DPR," the soonest neutralization of Kazakov through the deprivation of his freedom.

"According to their information, Kazakov planned for his own purposes to glorify 'the image of the former 'DPR' leader' and ensure the preservation of the authority of the so-called 'Zakharchenko group.' In this conversation, Pushilin, in particular, expressed his personal interest in the immediate need to remove terrorist Timofeev aka 'Tashkent' from his post through his compulsory dismissal from the post of 'deputy prime minister, minister of revenue and taxation of the DPR' on the urgent order of Pushilin," the SBU said.

So-called "First Deputy Prime Minister" Dmitry Trapeznikov, who prior to the Russian-Ukrainian war was in charge of the football fan organization of tycoon Rinat Akhmetov's FC Shakhtar Donetsk, was tapped as acting head of the "DPR" immediately after Zakharchenko's assassination in Donetsk on August 31, 2018.

The recording of the conversations was allegedly made a week after Zakharchenko's death. They indicate a complete dependence of the so-called "top leadership of the DPR" on the decisions of the "supervisor from the Kremlin," namely Surkov.

In addition, the content of the talks points to a long-lasting feud between the leaders of the occupied territories and proves the intentions of Pushilin and Trapeznikov to get rid of the influential competitors "from Zakharchenko's team," in particular Kazakov and Timofeev, the SBU said.