Tens of thousands of mourners paid their respects to Ukrainian separatist leader Alexander Zakharchenko in the rebel-stronghold of Donetsk on Friday.

Zakharchenko, the 42-year-old chief of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, was killed in a bomb attack at a Donetsk cafe on Friday, becoming the four-year conflict's most high-profile killing in the Moscow-backed side.

Read more: Alexander Zakharchenko: The latest Ukrainian rebel leader to face an abrupt death

His bodyguard also died during the attack and 12 people were injured.

A representative of the local authorities estimated that about 100,000 people came to pay their respects, while a correspondent from French news agency AFP said the number was closer to 30,000.

Tens of thousands of people lined up to pay their respects to Ukrainian separatist leader Alexander Zakharchenko

Huge billboards could be seen the city centre emblazoned with pictures of Zakharchenko and his quotes, such as: "All of us have one Motherland — Russia."

In a statement published by the Donetsk republic's official news agency, Russian President Putin's aide Vladislav Surkov described Zakharchenko as a "brother."

"You are a great guy, a true hero and it's a huge honor to be your friend," said Surkov, calling Zakharchenko Sasha, a diminutive form of his first name.

'We will not accept it '

Moscow and separatist leaders said Kiev was behind the assassination, while Ukraine said the bombing was linked to internal feuding and Russia's desire to control the territory.

"We will never forget this tragedy, we will never forgive," said one mourner, Sergei Kapustin, 35.

Local Ukrainian parliamentary leader and influential separatist Denis Pushilin again blamed Ukraine for Friday's bomb attack.

"We will not accept it and will continue the fight with all available means," said Pushilin.

Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov have said the high-profile murder was a provocation and would derail the long-stalled, Western-brokered peace process.

law/rc (AFP, dpa)</s>Moscow is analyzing the assassination of Alexander Zakharchenko, the commander of pro-Russian separatists and head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic in Ukraine, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday.

The deadly Friday blast was "an open provocation, aimed at disrupting the fulfillment of the Minsk Accords," Lavrov told reporters, referring to the 2015 peace deal.

"Although, truth be told, the Ukrainian authorities were not fulfilling them anyway," Lavrov added.

While the peace process has pretty much stalled in recent months, the Minsk accords still serve as a roadmap for solving the conflict. Russia and Ukraine agreed on the treaty brokered by France and Germany, in what became known as the "Normandy format."

On Saturday, Lavrov said that Zakharchenko's assassination made it "impossible" to talk about such meetings for the time being, "despite many of our European partners wanting it."

Previously, Moscow said it had "all reasons to believe" Kyiv was behind the attack. Separatist leaders also announced that they have captured "Ukrainian operatives" following the blast in a coffee shop in downtown Donetsk.

Zakharchenko and one more person were killed in the blast, with several more injured, including the finance head of the so-called Donetsk Republic.

The entity has declared a three-day mourning period for the 42-year-old leader. Zakharchenko's deputy Dmitry Trapeznikov was named the acting president.</s>The assassination of the Donetsk People’s Republic’s leader Aleksandr Zakharchenko is intended to undermine the ceasefire deal in eastern Ukraine and make European-backed peace talks “impossible,” Russian FM Sergey Lavrov said.

“It is a blatant provocation aimed at undermining the implementation of the Minsk Agreement in eastern Ukraine,” Lavrov told reporters on Saturday.

Zakharchenko was killed on Friday when an explosive device detonated at a cafe in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) capital, Donetsk. His bodyguard was also killed in the blast, and 11 people were injured.

READ MORE: Leader of self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic killed in E. Ukraine blast

“Given the current situation, it’s impossible to talk about the nearest meetings in the Normandy format like many of our European partners would have wanted,” Lavrov said. “It is a serious situation that must be analyzed. We are doing it right now.”

The Normandy format, also known as the Normandy Four, is a contact group comprising France, Germany, Ukraine and Russia. The group is tasked with negotiating a peace settlement in eastern Ukraine.

Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!</s>MOSCOW: Russian foreign minister said on Saturday talks on Ukraine with leaders from Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany, known as the Normandy format, were impossible after the killing of a rebel leader in eastern Ukraine, Interfax agency reported.

"It is impossible to talks about upcoming meetings in the Normandy format as many of our European partners wanted," Sergei Lavrov told reporters.

"This is a serious situation that needs to be analysed," Lavrov said, referring to the killing of Alexander Zakharchenko, leader of Russian-backed separatists in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine who died in an explosion on Friday.</s>The Kremlin warned on Saturday that the assassination of east Ukraine's main separatist leader was a provocation that would undermine the long-stalled Western-brokered peace deal and fuel tensions in the smouldering conflict.

Alexander Zakharchenko, the 42-year-old chief of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, was killed in a bombing at a cafe in Donetsk in broad daylight Friday, becoming the four-year conflict's most prominent victim from the Moscow-backed side.

His bodyguard was also killed and 12 more people were injured.

Moscow and rebel authorities have pointed the finger at Kiev, while Ukraine links the bombing to internal feuding and Russia's desire to control the territory.

Observers have expressed fears that the high-profile killing could fan the flames of a conflict that has been half-forgotten by the West amid crises elsewhere.

Officials led by President Vladimir Putin's spokesman said the former mine electrician's murder would further derail the Ukraine peace deal brokered by Germany and France in the Belarussian capital Minsk in 2015.

"This is no doubt a provocation," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian reporters.

"Zakharchenko's death will certainly lead to increased tensions in the region" and undermine conditions for the "start of the implementation" of the so-called Minsk agreements.

Zakharchenko was a co-signee of the peace agreement, along with fellow rebel Igor Plotnitsky, the chief of the self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic, who was deposed in late 2017.

Germany and France have sought in recent months to revive the stalled peace process in a bid to end a conflict that has claimed the lives of more than 10,000 since April 2014.

Russia's top diplomat Sergei Lavrov also said Saturday that Zakharchenko's killing derailed the Minsk deal and ruled out any meetings with France, Germany and Ukraine to discuss the crisis in the so-called Normandy Format.

"This is a serious situation that has to be analysed," Lavrov was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies.

"What happened today puts a big question mark over the entire process," added Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, speaking in televised remarks late Friday.

Putin on Friday swiftly sent condolences to Zakharchenko's family and residents of rebel-controlled Ukraine and seemed to imply that Kiev may be behind the murder.

"Those who have chosen the path of terror, violence and intimidation do not want to look for a peaceful, political settlement of the conflict, do not want to have genuine dialogue with residents of the southeast," Putin was quoted as saying by the Kremlin.

In east Ukraine, senior separatist commander Eduard Basurin claimed that Kiev planned to launch an offensive in mid-September, adding separatist troops had been put on high alert. Kiev has denied any such plans.

Rebel authorities declared a three-day period of mourning and delayed the start of a new school year until Tuesday.

The acting head of the region, Dmitry Trapeznikov, told reporters late Friday that local authorities had detained several suspects and they helped confirm that the blast was "an act of sabotage by Ukraine".

People in Donetsk openly wept at the news of Zakharchenko's death.

"It is a tragedy for the entire Donbass," said Donetsk resident, Alexander Grigoryev, 61, referring to war-torn east Ukraine.

"It's such a pity. He could have been the leader of our country for a very long time," he said.

Zakharchenko -- who briefly worked as a mine electrician before going into business connected to the industry -- had led Russian-backed insurgents in the rebel region for the last four years.

He became the rebel prime minister in August 2014, taking over from a series of Russians who had held the post.

In November 2014, he was elected the first president of the Donetsk republic, facing no real opposition.

Zakharchenko, who liked to be seen wearing khaki military fatigues, sold his business to finance the rebels and took part in the storming of the Donetsk regional administration building that launched the conflict in 2014.</s>MOSCOW - The Kremlin warned Saturday that the assassination of east Ukraine's top separatist leader was a provocation that would undermine the long-stalled, Western-brokered peace deal and fuel tensions in the smouldering conflict.

Alexander Zakharchenko, the 42-year-old chief of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, was killed in a bombing at a Donetsk cafe in broad daylight Friday, becoming the four-year conflict's most prominent victim from the Moscow-backed side. His bodyguard also died and 12 more people were injured. Moscow and rebel authorities have pointed the finger at Kiev while Ukraine links the bombing to internal feuding and Russia's desire to control the territory.

Officials led by President Vladimir Putin's spokesman said the former electrician's murder would further derail the Ukraine peace deal brokered by Germany and France in the Belarussian capital Minsk in 2015.

"This is no doubt a provocation," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

"Zakharchenko's death will certainly lead to increased tensions in the region" and undermine conditions for the "start of the implementation" of the so-called Minsk agreements.

Zakharchenko was a co-signee of the peace agreement, along with fellow rebel Igor Plotnitsky, the chief of the self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic, who was deposed in late 2017.

Germany and France have sought in recent months to revive the stalled peace process in a bid to end a conflict that has killed more than 10,000 since April 2014.

Russia's top diplomat Sergei Lavrov ruled out any meetings with France, Germany and Ukraine to discuss the crisis following the bombing.

"This is a serious situation that has to be analysed," Lavrov was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies.

There was no immediate reaction from Berlin or Paris.

A spokeswoman for the French foreign ministry told AFP it would not be providing a comment "at this stage".

Meanwhile, US special envoy for Ukraine Kurt Volker told The Guardian that Washington could increase arms supplies to Kiev to buttress the country's naval and air defence forces.

Volker made clear that the Trump administration was "absolutely" prepared to go further in supplying weaponry to Ukraine than anti-tank missiles it delivered in April, The Guardian said.

Putin on Friday swiftly sent condolences and seemed to imply that Kiev may be behind the murder.

"Those who have chosen the path of terror, violence and intimidation do not want to look for a peaceful, political settlement of the conflict, do not want to have genuine dialogue with residents of the southeast," Putin said.

But some in Ukraine and Russia allege Moscow could be behind Zakharchenko's demise.

"A systematic purge is under way of all those who helped bring Russian troops into the Donbass and helped create the pseudo-people's republics," the head of Ukraine's security service Vasyl Grytsak said, referring to war-torn eastern Ukraine.

Other top figures who have been killed outside the battlefield include commanders Alexei Mozgovoy and Arsen Pavlov better known by his nom de guerre Motorola.

In east Ukraine, senior separatist commander Eduard Basurin claimed Kiev planned to launch an offensive in mid-September, adding separatist troops had been put on high alert. Kiev has denied any such plans.

Rebel authorities in Donetsk declared a three-day period of mourning and delayed the start of a new school year until Tuesday.

The acting head of the region, Dmitry Trapeznikov, said authorities had detained several suspects and they helped confirm that the blast was "an act of sabotage by Ukraine".

People in Donetsk openly wept at the news of Zakharchenko's death.

"It is a tragedy for the entire Donbass," said Donetsk resident, Alexander Grigoryev, 61.

"It's such a pity. He could have been the leader of our country for a very long time," he said.

Zakharchenko had led Russian-backed insurgents in the rebel region for the last four years.

In November 2014, he was elected the first president of the Donetsk republic, facing no real opposition.

Zakharchenko, who liked to be seen wearing khaki military fatigues, sold his business to finance the rebels and took part in the storming of the Donetsk regional administration building that launched the conflict in 2014.</s>BERLIN/PARIS (Reuters) - The killing of a pro-Russian separatist leader in eastern Ukraine must not undermine talks to resolve the conflict, said France and Germany, which are joint sponsors of a peace process along with Russia and Ukraine.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday further four-way Ukraine talks, known as the Normandy format, were impossible after Alexander Zakharchenko, leader of Russian-backed separatists in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, died in an explosion at a cafe on Friday.

The Normandy talks led to a ceasefire agreement signed in the Belarus capital Minsk, which ended large-scale fighting in 2015, although deadly exchanges still take place across the truce line dividing government forces from separatists.

France and Germany both said on Monday that the killing of Zakharchenko made the peace process more urgent.

“The latest developments in Eastern Ukraine do not call into question the obligations of the parties under the Minsk agreements, nor the relevance of the Normandy format meetings between Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine,” a French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said. “It is precisely when tensions arise that negotiations must be made in good faith.”

German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government spokesman Steffen Seibert said: “It’s of paramount importance that an escalation is avoided now.”

The death of Zakharchenko should not derail the peace process and Germany would stick to the four-way talks, Seibert said.

Russian-backed rebels threw off Ukrainian central rule in an armed uprising after pro-Western leaders opposed by Moscow came to power in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, in 2014.

Ukraine and Western countries say the rebels were organised, armed and funded by Moscow, and assisted by Russian ground troops. Moscow denies intervening.</s>Tens of thousands of people have gathered in eastern Ukraine to mourn a Russian-backed separatist leader who was killed in a bomb attack on Friday.

Alexander Zakharchenko, 42, died in the explosion at a cafe in the rebel stronghold of Donetsk.

He is the most senior Russian-backed fatality of the conflict so far.

Russia’s foreign ministry said it suspected Ukraine of organising the latest killing, although the Ukrainian government has denied any involvement.

Large crowds have waited in line to pay their respects to the head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, who was killed along with his bodyguard in Friday’s attack. Twelve other people were injured.

Zakharchenko had been wounded twice in combat, and survived a car bomb blast in August 2014.

On Saturday, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that international talks on e Ukraine could no longer be considered following Zakharchenko’s death.

The talks, involving leaders from Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany, are known as the Normandy format.

They were established to seek a settlement to the conflict in eastern Ukraine, which began when rebels seized large swathes of territory in the region in an uprising in April 2014.

Since then, thousands of people have died in fighting between the rebels and Ukrainian government forces.

Moscow denies sending regular troops and heavy weapons to the separatists, but admits that Russian “volunteers” are helping the rebels. BBC.</s>Tens of thousands of people gathered in Ukraine's rebel stronghold Donetsk on Sunday to mourn the killing of separatist leader Alexander Zakharchenko.

Mourners queued to view the flag-draped coffin of the leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic at a local theatre.

Zakharchenko died in a blast at a coffee shop in Donetsk on Friday. His bodyguard was also killed and 12 more people were wounded.

He was the most prominent figure from the Russia-backed side to be killed in Ukraine's four-year conflict. Zakharchenko had been wounded twice in combat and survived a car bomb in August 2014.

Authorities estimated the turnout for the funeral was about 100,000 people, while a correspondent from AFP news agency put the number closer to 30,000.

Donetsk's city centre was cordoned off and public transport temporarily suspended as people gathered to pay their respects.

Billboards displayed pictures of Zakharchenko and his quotes, including "All of us have one Motherland - Russia."

Russia accused Ukraine of assassinating the 42-year-old, but Kiev blamed the explosion on separatist infighting.

Many mourners pointed a finger at Ukraine's government for being behind the attack. "We will never forget this tragedy, we will never forgive," said Sergei Kapustin, 35.

Anatoly Bibilov, leader of Georgia's breakaway region South Ossetia, and Alexander Borodai, a Russian journalist and former prime minister of the Donetsk republic, were in attendance.

Vladislav Surkov, an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, issued a statement carried by Donetsk's official news agency calling Zakharchenko a "brother".

"You are a cool guy, a true hero and it's a huge honour to be your friend," it read.

Zakharchenko, a former coal mine electrician, joined pro-Russian separatists in an armed uprising in Donetsk in 2014 and sold his business to help fund the movement.

He took the reins as the leader of the Donetsk People's Republic in November 2014 from a number of Russians, in a bid to show Ukraine's separatist movement wasn't a Russian-led operation.

Other rebel leaders say he was handpicked for the role by Moscow. A vote held by separatists confirmed him in office.

Zakharchenko introduced Soviet-style military parades with tanks in Donetsk and usually wore military fatigues despite his political role.

"I expect that the organisers and executors of this crime will get the deserved punishment," he said in a telegram of condolences released by the Kremlin.

On Saturday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Zakharchenko's murder would derail long-delayed international peace talks on Ukraine.

Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany are involved in the talks, known as the Normandy format, which was established to seek a peaceful settlement to the conflict.

More than 10,000 people have been killed since rebels in the eastern Donetsk and Lugansk regions overthrew Ukrainian central rule in April 2014 following Russia's annexation of Crimea.

A shaky internationally brokered ceasefire has been in force since 2015, halting large-scale fighting. But there are still frequent firefights on the front line between separatists and Ukrainian forces.

Kiev and its Western allies have accused Russia of sending troops and arms into Ukraine. Moscow denies the allegations but has admitted Russian "volunteers" are assisting the rebels.</s>Tens of thousands of mourners gathered in Ukraine's rebel stronghold of Donetsk on Sunday to pay their final respects to separatist leader Alexander Zakharchenko, while an aide to the Russian president praised him as a "brother" and a "hero".

Throngs of admirers -- many clutching flowers and in tears -- formed a line to view the flag-draped casket of the 42-year-old chief of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, whose body was lying in state in a theatre.

Zakharchenko was killed in a bombing at a Donetsk cafe on Friday, becoming the four-year conflict's most prominent victim from the Moscow-backed side.

His bodyguard also died and 12 more people were injured.

In a statement carried by the Donetsk republic's official news agency, Russian President Putin's aide Vladislav Surkov called the separatist a "brother".

"You are a cool guy, a true hero and it's a huge honour to be your friend," said Surkov, calling Zakharchenko Sasha, a diminutive form of his first name.

A representative of the local authorities estimated the turnout at around 100,000 people, while an AFP correspondent said more than 30,000 turned up.

Armed men in fatigues cordoned off the city centre and public transport was temporarily suspended.

Huge billboards erected in the city centre were plastered with pictures of Zakharchenko and his quotes. "All of us have one Motherland -- Russia", read one.

The leader of Georgia's breakaway statelet, South Ossetia, Anatoly Bibilov, and Alexander Borodai, a Russian journalist and former prime minister of the Donetsk republic, were in attendance.

Many mourners blamed Ukraine for the bombing.

"We will never forget this tragedy, we will never forgive," said Sergei Kapustin, 35.

Moscow and rebel authorities have said Kiev was behind the assassination, while Ukraine links the bombing to internal feuding and Russia's desire to control the territory.

Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov have said the high-profile murder was a provocation and would derail the long-stalled, Western-brokered peace process.

More than 10,000 people have been killed since the rebel insurgency broke out in the eastern Donetsk and Lugansk regions in April 2014 following Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.

Kiev and its Western allies accuse Russia of funnelling troops and arms across the border. Moscow has denied the claims despite evidence to the contrary.
Tens of thousands of people attend the funeral of Alexander Zakharchenko. Yesterday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the murder was a provocation and that it would derail the stalled Normandy format peace process.