DNP leadership arrogance to local officials

Mayor of Donetsk, Aleksander Lukyanchenko is a well-respected servant of the city's residents. He has been elected by them to his position as head of the city council on no less than three occasions.  He previously worked for decades in the city's technical services department and knows Donetsk inside out.

During the current troubles Lukyanchenko and his staff have done their utmost to make life for Donetsk residents as normal as possible and they have kept the city's essential services running in the most trying of circumstances.

Now the so-called Donesk People's Republic leaders, Russian citizens Igor Strelkov and Alexander Borodai, are demanding Mayor Lukyanchenko declare on what side he is on - on the side of the DPR, or the side of the government of Ukraine.

The DNP leadership say if he is not prepared to do this, he will be replaced. They also graciously promised,  "not to shoot Lukyanchenko if he refuses to co-operate".

Such statements will cause local support for the DPR to wither away even more quicky. Locals know who truly has their interests at heart.