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Putin changes Donbas "handler"

Oleg Govorun is called a member of Vladislav Surkov's closest entourage.

Putin changes Donbas "handler"
Photo: EPA/UPG

Russian President Vladimir Putin has changed the head of the department in charge of overseeing the paramilitary groups of the Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics , as well as Georgia's separatist regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Aleksey Filatov replaced Oleg Govorun in this role, according to Radio Liberty/Radio Free Europe.

The new head of the department had previously dealt with the self-proclaimed South Ossetia. Last year, Filatov as the deputy head of the department began to handle the DPR and LPR affairs.