The war in Donbas, also called the Donbas war, was a phase of the Russo-Ukrainian war in the eastern Donbas region of Ukraine. The war began in April 2014, when Russian-backed paramilitaries began an uprising against the Ukrainian government, seized territory and declared independent states. Ukraine's military launched an operation against them, but failed to fully retake the territory. Covertly, Russia's military were directly involved, and the separatists were largely under Russian control. This phase ended when the war was subsumed by the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
In March 2014, following Ukraine's Revolution of Dignity, Russia occupied Crimea. Anti-revolution and pro-Russian protests began in Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk provinces, collectively 'the Donbas'. On 12 April, a commando unit led by Russian citizen Igor 'Strelkov' Girkin crossed the border from Russia and seized Sloviansk and other settlements in the Donbas. Separatists declared the Donetsk and Luhansk republics (DPR and LPR) as independent states. Russia covertly supported them with soldiers and weaponry. It only admitted sending "military specialists",The Interpreter quoted what Putin said during a live call-in session on 12 October 2016:"When we were forced, I want to stress, forced to defend the Russian-speaking population in the Donbas, forced to respond to the desire of the people living in Crimea to return to being part of the Russian Federation, they instantly began to whip up anti-Russian policies and the imposition of sanctions." but later acknowledged the separatists as Russian combat veterans. On 15 April, Ukraine began an "Anti-Terrorist Operation" (ATO). By August 2014, Ukraine had re-taken most of its territory. Russia reacted by covertly sending troops, tanks and artillery into the Donbas, helping pro-Russian forces regain much of what they had lost. DPR leader Alexander Borodai said 50,000 Russian citizens had fought for the separatists by mid-2015, excluding the regular Russian troops that invaded.
The Minsk agreement was signed in September 2014. There was to be a ceasefire monitored by the OSCE; release of prisoners; withdrawal of illegal armed groups and foreign soldiers from Ukraine; withdrawal of heavy weaponry; elections in the Donbas under Ukrainian law; and granting self-governance ("special status") to rebel-held territories. On 16 September, Ukraine passed a law to grant this self-governance and schedule elections there for December. However, the separatists held their own elections in November, which violated the Minsk agreement. The ceasefire was also broken, and Russian-backed forces began an assault on Donetsk Airport, eventually capturing it in January 2015. A new ceasefire, Minsk II, was agreed on 12 February 2015. Immediately after, Russian forces renewed their offensive on Debaltseve and forced Ukraine's military to withdraw. Both sides fortified their position by building networks of trenches, bunkers and tunnels, resulting in static trench warfare. Donbas remained a war zone, with dozens killed monthly. OSCE observers documented military convoys crossing from Russia covertly, and by the end of 2017 had counted around 30,000 people in military gear crossing from Russia at the two border checkpoints it was allowed to monitor.
All sides agreed to the "Steinmeier formula" for ending the war in October 2019. Following a ceasefire and withdrawal of foreign soldiers, elections would be held under Ukrainian law and, if the OSCE deemed these free and fair, then the Donbas territories would be given "special status" and re-integrated into Ukraine. The Ukrainian side demanded control of its border and the right of internally displaced Ukrainians to return to the Donbas to vote. The Donbas separatists said they would not withdraw or disarm, refused to give up control of the border, and said they would seek integration with Russia. The Russian state continued to deny that its military was in the Donbas, insisting that elections be held while Russian and Russian-backed forces still controlled the territory and the border. During 2021, Russia's proxies stepped up their attacks as Russian forces massed near Ukraine's borders. Russia recognised the DPR and LPR as independent states on 21 February 2022 and deployed "peacekeeping" troops there. On 24 February, Russia began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, subsuming the Donbas war into it.
About 14,000 people were killed in the war: 6,500 Russian and Russian proxy forces, 4,400 Ukrainian forces, and 3,400 civilians on both sides. Most civilian casualties were in the first year. In 2011, Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts had a combined population of 6.1 million. As a result of the Donbas war, 2 million fled the region.
Background
Despite being recognised as an independent country since 1991, as a former USSR constituent republic, Ukraine was perceived by the leadership of Russia as part of its sphere of influence. In a 2002 paper Taras Kuzio stated "While accepting Ukrainian independence, Putin has sought to draw Ukraine into a closer relationship. This approach has been acceptable to eastern Ukrainian oligarchs, who do not harbour anti-Russian feelings".
In 2011, Kuzio stated:
Analysts have stated that as of February 2014, Russia was able to: Control and manipulate the price of gas shipments to Ukraine's disadvantage (in the past few years, it had twice turned off the flow of gas to the country to force the hands of Ukrainian leaders); Arbitrarily impose trade restrictions on Ukrainian exports; Flood Ukraine with television propaganda highlighting alleged Western interference in Ukraine's internal affairs; Stir up secessionist sentiment in Russian-speaking areas such as Crimea and Donetsk.
The Ukrainian state has also alleged infiltration of its security services by Russian state operatives in the lead-up to the events of 2014.
According to the Institute of Modern Russia, the Kremlin also maintained a tight hold on Ukraine's president, Viktor Yanukovych.
Ukrainian revolution
In November 2013, the 'Euromaidan' protests began in response to Yanukovych's sudden decision to abandon a political association and free trade agreement with the European Union (EU), instead choosing closer ties to Russia. Earlier that year, Ukraine's parliament had overwhelmingly approved finalising the agreement with the EU. Russia had put pressure on Ukraine to reject it. The scope of the protests widened, with calls for Yanukovych's resignation. Protesters opposed what they saw as government corruption and abuse of power, oligarchic sway, police brutality and human rights violations. On 28 January 2014, Ukraine's government resigned. The protests climaxed on 18–20 February 2014 with clashes in Kyiv between protesters and Berkut special riot police, in which 108 protesters were killed; most of them were shot by snipers. On 21 February, President Yanukovych and the opposition signed an agreement to bring about an interim unity government, early elections, and urgent constitutional changes (which needed to be signed by the president). However, Yanukovych secretly fled the city that evening. The next day, parliament voted to remove him from office. About 73% of the parliament and members of all parties voted to remove him, including members of his own party. On 27 February, an interim government was established and early presidential elections were scheduled. This series of events became known as the Revolution of Dignity.
Immediately following the revolution, unmarked Russian troops occupied the Ukrainian territory of Crimea. After an illegal referendum, Crimea was annexed by Russia.
Protests in the Donbas
Following the revolution, counter-revolutionary and pro-Russian protests began in parts of the Donbas. In the last census, the population of the Donbas was about 58% ethnic Ukrainian and 38% ethnic Russian overall: Donetsk Oblast was 57% Ukrainian and 38% Russian, while Luhansk Oblast was 58% Ukrainian and 39% Russian. A national survey held in March–April 2014 found that 58% of respondents in the Donbas wanted autonomy within Ukraine and 31% wanted secession.
The Donbas was the region most strongly supportive of Yanukovych and his Party of Regions. People in the Donbas mostly consumed Russian-based media, which portrayed Ukraine's new interim government as an illegitimate "fascist junta" and that ethnic Russians were in imminent danger. Leaked e-mails and telephone calls later revealed that the Russian state had funded and organized separatists, mainly through Kremlin advisers Vladislav Surkov and Sergey Glazyev.
Pro-Russian protesters occupied the Donetsk Regional State Administration Building from 1 to 6 March 2014, until the SBU removed them. Pavel Gubarev was proclaimed "people's governor" of Donetsk Oblast and Aleksandr Kharitonov "people's governor" of Luhansk Oblast. Ukrainian authorities arrested local separatist leaders in early March. They were replaced by figures linked to the Russian security services. Political scientist Taras Kuzio wrote that Russia transformed the protesters "into armed insurgents; this was never an organic process".
On 6 April, 1,000–2,000 demonstrators in Donetsk demanded a referendum on autonomy or accession to Russia, similar to the one held in Crimea in March. Hundreds of masked men seized weapons from the SBU building in the city, and a large crowd stormed and occupied the Donetsk RSA building, raising the Russian flag. They demanded the regional council vote for a referendum on joining Russia the next day, vowing to otherwise take control of the regional government with a "people's mandate", dismissing all elected regional councillors and members of parliament. As these demands were not met, the following day the activists proclaimed the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) as an independent state.
Unrest also began in Luhansk on 6 April, when hundreds of protesters besieged the SBU headquarters for six hours, demanding the release of anti-government militants held there. They eventually stormed and occupied the building, releasing prisoners and seizing weapons.
The Minister of Internal Affairs, Arsen Avakov, said on 9 April 2014 the separatist occupation of Ukrainian government buildings in the Donbas would be ended within 48 hours, by negotiation or force, declaring, "we are ready for both". Acting President Oleksandr Turchynov had already ordered the seized Donetsk regional administration building placed "under state protection", and offered amnesty to separatists who disarmed and surrendered.Novosti Donetsk, Турчинов готов освободить сепаратистов без криминала, если они сложат оружие [Turchynov ready to release the separatists without charges, if they lay down their weapons], 10 April 2014. On 11 April, Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk was reported as saying, while he was opposed to the use of force, there are limits to everything.Novosti Donetsk, "Я против силовых сценариев, но всему есть предел", – Яценюк ["I am against forceful scenarios, but there is a limit" – Yatsenyuk], 11 April 2014.
First phase of the war (2014)
While the initial protests were largely native expressions of discontent with the new Ukrainian government, Russia took advantage of them to launch a coordinated political and military campaign against Ukraine. Russian citizens led the separatist movement in Donetsk from April 2014, and were supported by volunteers and materiel from Russia.Strelkov/Girkin Demoted, Transnistrian Siloviki Strengthened in 'Donetsk People's Republic', Vladimir Socor, Jamestown Foundation, 15 August 2014 As the conflict escalated in May 2014, Russia employed a "hybrid approach", deploying a combination of disinformation, irregular fighters, regular Russian troops, and conventional military support to destabilise the Donbas.
Militants seize towns