Denis Pushilin serves as acting president of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and recently appointed Yevgeny Solntsev, a former deputy prime minister, to lead the DPR government. The official message states: “To appoint Yevgeny Aleksandrovich Solntsev as Head of the Government of the Donetsk People’s Republic,” confirming the move reported by TASS. Earlier, the republic’s parliament gave its consent to Solntsev’s candidacy for prime minister, marking a formal step in the leadership transition within the DPR government.
Pushilin, who previously held the role of Deputy Head of the DPR, used a Telegram channel post to relay developments. He explained that after Vitaly Khotsenko’s reassignment to serve as interim governor of the Omsk region, the republican government had formally resigned but would continue to function until a new cabinet layout could be established. In his note, Pushilin also mentioned that he had proposed to the People’s Council, which acts as the republic’s parliament, the appointment of First Deputy Prime Minister Yevgeny Solntsev to the post of prime minister of the DPR. The communication underscores the ongoing process of forming a stable executive branch amid shifting leadership within the territory.
On the international stage, there were reports from Moscow that President Vladimir Putin intended to meet with the deputy head of the Donetsk People’s Republic in the near future. This statement signals a continuing dialogue at the highest levels of government regarding the DPR’s administrative trajectory and its relationship with the Russian leadership. The timeline for such a meeting suggested an interest in aligning political plans and reinforcing governance structures during a period of transition.
Taken together, these developments reflect a broader pattern of governance in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The sequence—appointment of a new head of government, parliamentary approval of the candidate, and the declaration of a coming meeting with the DPR’s senior leadership—points to a strategic effort to stabilize executive authority and to solidify the administrative framework as the region navigates its ongoing political status. Analysts note that Solntsev’s background as a former deputy prime minister could influence policy direction and cabinet coordination in the months ahead, while Pushilin’s communications emphasize continuity and procedural legitimacy as guiding principles for the transitional period. The situation remains dynamic, with observers closely watching both the DPR’s internal cabinet decisions and its interactions with Moscow and other regional actors to gauge potential shifts in governance and policy emphasis.