The history of the “People’s Republics” before 24 February 2022 is both an important prequel to Russia’s ongoing war of aggression and a showcase of what awaits those Ukrainian regions who came under Russian occupation thereafter. The eight-year reign of local regimes that meandered between lawless banditry and military-bureaucratic dictatorships, the abolition of free speech,| Civicmonitoring
Written by Nikolaus von Twickel Summary While Moscow continued its russification drive in the “People’s Republics”, it failed to make significant military gains in the Donetsk region. No date for “referenda” about unification with Russia was set, and only Luhansk campaigned for holding one, not Donetsk. In a clear sign of labour shortages, “DNR” leader| Civicmonitoring
Report based on the findings of the international VOSTOK SOS/ DRAhuman rights mission to Ukraine Since the beginning of the full-scale military invasion of Ukraine on February 24, the Russian Federation has continuously and systemically violated international law and human rights. Shelling and aerial bombing of civilian targets, using banned ammunition such as cluster bombs,| Civicmonitoring
Written by Nikolaus von Twickel Summary While the military battle for Donbas continued, the annexatoin and integration of the “People’s Republics” into Russia’s political system progressed with the beginning of election preparations – with peculiar differences between Donetsk and Luhansk. The Kremlin also pressed for issuing Russian passports faster and introduced fresh sanctions for those| Civicmonitoring
The general situation in the war-affected territories of the Kherson, Mykolaiv, Donetsk, and Kharkiv regions is neither homogenous nor steady. On the contrary, it shows various characteristics that differ in intensity from area to area. Whereas the Russian occupation lasted four months in Lyman, Donetsk region, it lasted almost nine months in Kherson city and| Civicmonitoring
Written by Nikolaus von Twickel Summary With entrenched stalemate on the battlefields, Russia pushed for further integration of the annexed Ukrainian regions. The heads of the “People’s Republics” for the first time got official personal meetings with President Putin in the Kremlin – during which they revealed how the war has made a bad situation| Civicmonitoring
Written by Nikolaus von Twickel Summary Six weeks after Russia annexed them, the “People’s Republics” went through fresh government reshuffles, with more Moscow-trained professionals taking senior positions. The “LNR” Foreign Ministry and Prosecutor General’s office were the first institutions to be dissolved with similar moves expected in the “DNR”. But it remained to be seen| Civicmonitoring
Written by Nikolaus von Twickel Summary The eight-year history of the “People’s Republics” culminated in their annexation by Russia – along with Kherson and parts of the Zaporizhzhia region - on 5 October, when President Vladimir Putin signed laws about their accession to the Russian Federation. This was preceded by rushed “referenda” held in all| Civicmonitoring
Written by Nikolaus von Twickel Summary The appointment of more Russian officials to government posts and a massive campaign for a “referendum” in the “People’s Republics” were the latest indicators that Moscow has already decided to annex these East Ukrainian territories and that the recognition of “DLNR” by North Korea is just a passing episode.| Civicmonitoring
Written by Nikolaus von Twickel Summary The appointment of five Russian officials to key “government” posts in Donetsk and Luhansk plus wide-ranging regional cooperation agreements triggered fresh talk that Moscow is planning to annex the “People’s Republics”. As Russia’s military campaign to conquer Donbas continued, fresh evidence surfaced that recruits from Donetsk and Luhansk are| Civicmonitoring