( CNN) The leader of Russian-backed separatists in Ukraine's Donetsk region was killed in an explosion at a cafe Friday, Russian state news agencies and separatist officials said.
Alexander Timofeev, another rebel leader, was seriously injured, said a statement released by the separatists.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a statement, called Zakharchenko a patriot and his death a “vile murder” intended to destabilize the region.
