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Donetsk republic tax minister survives lethal explosion, severely wounded

The explosion occurred in a restaurant in downtown Donetsk on Friday night

DONETSK, August 31. /TASS/. Minister of taxes and duties of the self-proclaimed unrecognized Donetsk People’s Republic [DPR], Alexander Timofeyev, has survived the explosion that took away the life of the DPR Prime Minister, Alexander Zakharchenko, and is now at hospital with serious wounds, a senior defense official of the republic told the Donetsk News Agency.

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"As far as I know, he is at hospital in serious condition," said Eduard Basurin, a representative of the DPR Operations Command.

The explosion occurred in a restaurant in downtown Donetsk on Friday night. Zakharchenko died on the spot and Timofeyev was admitted to hospital.

Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Trapeznikov has been appointed the interim head of the republic.

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