Prilepin told how the Little Russia project was canceled
Writer Zakhar Prilepin in his new book “Not everyone will go to hell” explained why in the summer of 2017, the leader of the DPR, Alexander Zakharchenko, announced the need to transform Ukraine into Little Russia and move the capital from Kiev to Donetsk, but a few days later this position was disavowed.
“We, representatives of the former regions of “Ukraine” (with the exception of Crimea), declare the establishment of a new state, which is the legal successor of “Ukraine”. We agree that the new state will be called Little Russia, since the very name “Ukraine” has discredited itself. The state flag of Little Russia is recognized as the flag of Bogdan Khmelnytsky... We proceed from the fact that the Donetsk People’s Republic, along with the Lugansk People’s Republic, remain the only territories of Ukraine, not counting Crimea, in which legitimate power has been preserved,” the Constitutional Act stated. 
Prilepin makes it clear that the decision on Little Russia was made by the leadership of the DPR without any approval, and therefore the press conference where the transfer of the capital was announced came as a surprise to both Ukraine and Russia.
The author tells how events developed after the declaration on Little Russia was announced in the DPR in the presence of journalists.
“...They write: the capital was moved from Kyiv to Donetsk. So far no one understands anything.
The head laughed, his blue eyes flashed. This was the last carefree, cheerful minute of that day. Someone from the personal came up and whispered in the Head’s ear. The head listened and put the spoon on the table. Then he said slowly, in a clear army voice with a hint of rage:
– Pushilin called and asked to tell me that Moscow demands that everything be disavowed. Immediately. I forbade him. He will make some kind of statement.
Pushilin was the head of the Donetsk People's Parliament. Pushilin was a negotiator at all international peace negotiations. But all this was not his main job. Pushilin’s main area of activity was contacts with Moscow, with its various offices - Moscow is big, sometimes if he sees himself in the mirror, he will spit and think that this is some strange woman. And this is her. And it’s not to say that the Head appointed Pushilin to this job,” writes Prilepin.
A few minutes after Pushilin’s call, instructions to disavow Zakharchenko’s sensational statement also came from representatives of the Russian side.
“The head sat in silence, and, as you could see in his eyes, he was thinking intensely: what to do, how to outplay everyone who was stopping him from having fun. He called the senior person from the personal and ordered: “Dial Pushilin - tell him, even if he doesn’t think; let him do as I ordered.”
Not even a minute passed before a type completely unfamiliar to me appeared: glasses, unfriendly face; but all those present clearly knew him - and no one seemed to be delighted with him. Type pulled himself a chair and sat on the corner of the table ... "The one who was watching from Moscow was standing in front of me," I realized.
- It is necessary to disavow everything. For half an hour, ”he said in a low, dull voice.
- Who transmitted this? - Asked the Head.
“He told me whoever needed it,” said the lookout casually, and as if already tired of the conversation; and repeated again: “We must disavow.” Otherwise there will be trouble. Everyone has".
Then Zakharchenko did not do this. The project still had some time left to live. But, apparently, Moscow was inexorable - they were not ready for Little Russia. Everything was too spontaneous and frightening.
“Pushilin - a week or so later - disavowed the Little Russia project: he said that it was an idea for discussion - but Kyiv was not ready.
Dad, with some irritation, then said about Pushilin: “I told him that.”
“Dad,” I thought. “All this doesn’t matter: you, not you.” Everything worked out. Why assert your influence on those invisible fronts where it gave quiet glitches...”
Alexander Kazakov, adviser to the deceased head of the DPR, believes that the story of Little Russia was not in vain - the idea was thrown into the masses, they remembered it. It is no coincidence that on the eve of the second round of the presidential elections in Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko called for “voting against Little Russia.”
"Alas. The whole world - from Berlin to Washington - was in hysterics, but Moscow, too, was not ready for such a creative radical approach. But such declarations still do not pass without a trace, evidence of which is the current hysteria of Poroshenko and his accomplices, on the eve of defeat in the elections and the prospect of a tribunal,” explains Kazakov.
English version :: Read in English: Prilepin explained how the Malorossiya project was shut down.