Igor “Strelkov” Girkin is seriously wounded. This is what was reported by the separatist media outlet, Novoros Inform. The short briefing cites a source in the leadership of the New Russia (‘Novorossiya’) separatist group.
“Igor Strelkov was seriously wounded. This is what was reported by a source in the leadership of New Russia. The condition of the Minister of Defence of the [Donetsk Republic] DNR – severe”, – the report says.
Self-declared Deputy Prime Minister of the Donetsk Republic, Andrei Purgin, could not directly confirm the report, but did admit that Girkin had recently been in an area of intense combat.
“I do not have accurate information. But most likely it’s true. According to my information, he was not in Donetsk, and near Shakhtarsk, Torez and Snizhne. In this area is very intense fighting,” he told Russian state media ITAR-TASS.
Denis Pushilin, who served as the ‘Prime Minister’ of the DNR before resigning and returning to Moscow, issued a video address confirming the news.
Separate DNR representatives, Vladislav Brig and Sergei Kavtaradze, issued identical statements calling the report “nonsense” in a talks with the Russian media outlets RIA Novosti and ITAR-TASS, respectively, which both labelled as an attempt at deliberate disinformation. The press office of the DNR would not confirm either. Former Ukrainian MP Oleg Tsarov also weighed in, saying he was not injured, though this was prior to the statements of Purgin and Pushilin.
This story will be updated as information develops.
