At the end of October there appeared information among so-called "militia (opolcheniye)" that Moscow curators of "DPR" who are responsible for economic and ideological issues, as well as the "foreign policy", leave Donetsk and return back to Moscow. The same applies to the main "smotriashchiy (underboss)" in Donbass Vladislav Surkov, who is said to be replaced either by a new man from Moscow or his functions will be redistributed among active local "leaders”.
This information was confirmed by a number of separatist analysts. In particular, A. Zhuchkovsky who is for more than a year engaged in supplying "volunteers" to the fronts of "Novorossia ", said: "Today all the curators in “LDPR” are dismissed. I do not know about Surkov yet (although he is reported to be dismissed from the Ukrainian direction) but all the performers and "smotriashchiye" are out of the game. Let's see if new people come and who they will be. According to some reports, supervision is resubmitted to the "office" as it was in the spring and early summer of 2014. In general, reformation of Russia's policy is taking place in Donbass. Some believe that this may be due to a possible escalation of the conflict in Ukraine; others talk about the escalation of the struggle for the growing scanty budgets of the Russian Federation".
Another military analyst and an active supporter of the "Russian Spring" Boris Rozhin also confirmed the shift of the real "commanders" of the "republic" and lasting tectonic shifts in its leaders: "Regarding the information that Surkov can be removed from Donbass. The information about dismissing of the current team of curators is confirmed. Actually, besides Zhuchkovskyi, this information was confirmed by my sources in “DPR” and the “LPR” with whom I spoke about this issue yesterday and today. There is also information from Donetsk that people who are responsible for "ideological policy" in the republic left “DPR”. Actually this also applied to a number of individuals responsible for economic issues in Luhansk. In general, there is a sufficiently serious reformation of supervisory structures".
At the same time there is still intrigue concerning Surkov. Although Rozhin said the name of his possible successor on the political front of "DPR": "Regarding Surkov there is no 100% evidence that he is dismissed, some say that was removed, others say he wasn’t. But the most remarkably is that three very different persons, who are unlikely to be somehow connected, called Kozak's name as the person who will take the responsibility for economic issues in “DPR” and “LPR”. Possibly Kozak or other person, who will take the responsibility for economy, will operate in parallel with Surkov, who majors in "Minsk process". We will see how it goes. In any case serious changes are taking place and it will be clear whose position will be strengthened or weakened from the new layouts of the curators of “DPR” and “LPR”, when ones leave and others come".
It should be noted that such external changes can be directly linked to the bet of Moscow on the leading political players of "DPR", Zakharchenko and Khodakovsky, reflecting radical and moderate position respectively. And if earlier Zakharchenko in forming “army of DPR" into a single body, lost a number of their own private structures dealing with his personal guard and now dictatorial throne staggered under Khodakovsky whose structure "Vostok" was the last that hasn’t yet joined the common rigid hierarchy of the Corps.
In early October, 20 days before the story with Surkov and the company, the 4th base of "Vostok" was visited by Zakharchenko who checked weapons and dismissed commander of "Vostok" with the nickname "Major" and chief of staff with the nickname "Sokol" who did not agree with this decision, and fled to the 5th base, barricaded there with a number of fighters.
Some of these men were some people from the "Special Department" of "Vostok" that is famous for its cellars, as well as "Separate company command of fighting against terrorism”, in other words private entities, that reported exclusively to Khodakovsky and received preferential bonuses in addition to the official salary.
They disarmed these people according to traditions of "DPR" character as it was with the notorious "Cossacks". Rozhin commented this situation as follows: "If the restructuring RG “DPR” was aimed not only at increasing centralization, but also on removing subordinate power resources from Zakharchenko (however, Zakharchenko was not born yesterday and engaged 100th brigade RG instead of people gone to the Corps), now the power resource is pulled from Khodakovsky. The difference here is, in fact, in subordination as "Vostok" is reported to obey the command of the Corps more (read curators) instead of Khodakovsky".
In other words, the story of the "Vostok" that preceded the changes in the curatorial structure of "republic" may serve as a marker from Moscow as to whose position in "DPR" is now more relevant to the Kremlin.
Moscow hasn’t clearly elected "the Minsk format" of compromises that could personify Khodakovsky with his "we are ready for the compromise". The company aims at the hunta meaning the party of military confrontation led by Colonel Zakharchenko, with his old argument "we are the independent state, and Ukraine will not come here". Minsk Agreements definitively turned into stage of preparation for war.
Stas Vasin, Donetsk, for OstroV