Ukraine Separatists Say Leader Killed in Cafe Bombing

Prime Minister of the Pro-Russian self proclamed "Peoples Republic of Donetsk" Alexander Zakharchenko looks on during a press conference in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk on February 2, 2015. INIQUE FAGET Domique Faget/AFP/Getty Images

MOSCOW—A blast in a war-themed cafe in eastern Ukraine on Friday killed the most prominent leader of the Russia-backed separatists who have fought Ukrainian forces since 2014, rebel officials said.

The death of Alexander Zakharchenko, prime minister of the self-declared Donetsk People’s Republic, underlined the dismal prospects for resolving the conflict that has killed more than 10,000 people.