Sparta Battalion
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The Sparta Battalion or 80th Separate Guards Reconnaissance Battalion "Sparta" named after A. S. Pavlov is a special purpose unit of the Russian Armed Forces. Until 2023, unit was part of Russian people's militia military unit of the Russian republic of Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) in eastern Ukraine. The unit has been fighting against the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Donbas war and the 2022 Russian invasion. Formed in 2014, it was initially led by the Russian-born Arsen Pavlov until his death in October 2016, and then by Vladimir Zhoga, from Sloviansk, until his death in March 2022.
Vladimir Putin and Artem Zhoga on 9 May 2022
Arsen Pavlov, first commander of the battalion preparing to participate in Victory Parade in 2015.
Company commander of the Sparta Battalion, "Matros", in Donetsk Airport. He led the final DPR assault on the New Terminal.
Arsen Pavlov with his troops on BTR-70s during the rehearsal of the 2015 Donetsk Victory Day parade
Donetsk People's Republic
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The Donetsk People's Republic is an internationally unrecognized republic of Russia, comprising the occupied parts of eastern Ukraine's Donetsk Oblast, with its capital in Donetsk. The DPR was created by Russian-backed paramilitaries in 2014, and it initially operated as a breakaway state until it was annexed by Russia in 2022.
Ukrainian riot police guarding the entrance to the RSA building on 7 March 2014
Ukrainian military roadblocks in Donetsk oblast on 8 May 2014
Pro-Russian separatists occupying the Donetsk RSA building on 7 April 2014
Sloviansk city council under the control of heavily armed men on 14 April 2014