Donetsk, Aug 28 – DAN. The square in front of the House of Government in central Donetsk has been named after the late DPR Head Alexander Zakharchenko.

The decision to give the square a new name was announced by the incumbent DPR Head Denis Pushilin. He reminded that in 2014 thousands of people gathered at this square for a rally against the coup-d’etat in Kiev, and this place had since become a symbol of resistance and fight for the Russian World. Pushilin said that Zakharchenko had also become a symbol of the fight for freedom and independence, the unity and people’s will.

"This is a truly legendary place," Pushilin said at a ceremony at the square today.

"This is the place where Donbass people made their will felt by revealing a firm and solid disagreement with what was going on in Kiev - a coup d'etat. Alexander Zakharchenko has become a defender of people's will, commander of the first militia units, those guys who believed in our truth," he said.

A granite memorial has been erected at the Zakharchenko square, at the façade of the House of Government, enumerating his achievements and the key events of his life.

DPR Head Alexander Zakharchenko won the DPR Head election on November 2, 2014. Major General, he was injured several times during the war, and was awarded the Golden Star of the Republic’s Hero and other awards. He died in an explosion in central Donetsk on August 31, 2018. The 2nd department of the 5th directorate for counterintelligence of the Ukrainian security service has been identified as complicit in the murder.*ot