The Luhansk People's Republic or Lugansk People's Republic is an internationally unrecognised republic of Russia in the occupied parts of eastern Ukraine's Luhansk Oblast, with its capital in Luhansk. The LPR was proclaimed by Russian-backed paramilitaries in 2014, and it initially operated as a breakaway state until it was annexed by Russia in 2022.
The occupation of the Security Service of Ukraine building in Luhansk
A Luhansk People's Republic People's Militia member in June 2014
Valery Bolotov proclaims the Act of Independence of the Luhansk People's Republic, 12 May 2014
A ballot paper sample for the referendum: "Do you support the declaration of state independence of the Lugansk People's Republic? Yes or No"
Russian separatist forces in Ukraine, primarily the People's Militias of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR), were pro-Russian paramilitaries in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. They were under the overall control of the Russian Federation, and were also referred to as Russian proxy forces. They were active during the war in Donbas (2014–2022), the first stage of the Russo-Ukrainian War. They then supported the Russian Armed Forces against the Ukrainian Armed Forces during the 2022 Russian invasion. In September 2022, Russia annexed the DPR and LPR, and began integrating the paramilitaries into its armed forces. They are designated as terrorist groups by the government of Ukraine.
Pro-Russian rally in Donetsk on April 6, 2014
Sloviansk city council under control of Russian Registered Cossacks on 14 April 2014
A Separatist looking though firing port at his position near Donetsk, May 2015
DPR troops in Donetsk during a rehearsal for the 2015 Victory Day parade