It has now been confirmed that Aleksandr Zakharchenko has been murdered today. You can read some of the details in this RT article here: https://www.rt.com/news/437357-head-donbass-republic-killed/
This murder really breaks my heart, but also worries and sickens me. Just like the murders of Morotola or Givi, this murder proves that there is a major, massive, problem with the DNR/LNR security services. Whether this is pure incompetence or treason I don’t know, but what is sure is that while murders of charismatic leaders happen in all conflicts this is the exception, not the rule (how many leaders were killed during, say, the Bosnian civil war?). It *is* possible to protect commanders and officials (there are special forces and services which can do that very well). When it is the rule, then most certainly something is very wrong.