Donbass: Europe’s Latest Frozen Conflict

Brutal life in Ukraine’s separatist ‘republics’, explained

Alexander Mozhaev, a pro-Russian separatist whose photograph has appeared in numerous publications in recent days and who says he is not employed by the Russian state, stands with fellow separatists in the town of Slavyansk on April 20.
Maxim Dondyuk

by Chris Dunnett, Hromadske International

produced by Maxim Eristavi, Randy R. Potts

What You Need to Know:

✓The Donbass region of eastern Ukraine is the country’s heavily-populated industrial heartland, now caught up in by the brutal conflict that has left over 4,000 dead;

✓Life in the territories run by theLuhansk and Donetsk ‘People’s Republics’, the self-declared pro-Russian entities, can best be described as difficult and often dangerous for those who remain. Many warn of a pending humanitarian disaster;

✓The rule of law and security remains evasive, and openly expressing pro- Ukrainian views or criticizing the armed groups is undoubtedly dangerous;

✓Rebel-controlled areas of the region held a ‘vote’ on November 2, a move supported by Moscow but condemned as de-stabilizing by Kyiv and its Western partners;

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Donbass: Europe’s Latest Frozen Conflict