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It has been suggested that this article be merged with 2014 pro-Russian protests in Ukraine#People's Republic of Donetsk. (Discuss) Proposed since April 2014.

The Donetsk People's Republic (Template:Lang-ru, Donetskaya narodnaya respublika) is a unilaterally declared state, formed on 7 April 2014 by several hundred activists who currently occupy the Regional Administration Building in Donetsk. As of April 10th the self-claimed "Republic" still controls the administration building. "The People's Republic" has not been recognized by any other state. According to the Washington Post, there was little evidence that the separatists enjoyed any public support.

The building is occupied by the Donetsk Republic organization, a group banned in Ukraine since 2007. The group's leader, Andrei Purgin, was arrested weeks prior on charges of separatism. The political leader of the state is the self-declared People's Governor Pavel Gubarev, once a member of the neo-Nazi Russian National Unity paramilitary group, as well as the Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine, who is currently under arrest on charges of separatism.

Most of the protesters are 50 years or older, while inside the building, many of the occupiers are younger but from other cities like Mariupol, Kherson and Mykolaiv. Women are also inside the building. Numerous Russian citizens, including leaders of various far-right militant groups, have also taken part in the events.

History

Background

Similar attempts to seize the RSA building have been occurring since pro-Russian protests began in the Eastern and Southern regions of Ukraine in the wake of the 2014 Ukrainian revolution. Pro-Russian protesters previously occupied the Donetsk RSA from 1 March to 6 March, before being removed by the Security Service of Ukraine. According to Ukrainian authorities the seizure of RSA's are part of "a script which has been written in the Russian Federation" to destabilize Ukraine and bring in Russian troops executed by "about 1,500 radicals in each region who spoke with clear Russian accents".

Public opinion

In a poll conducted by Kyiv International Institute of Sociology in the first half of February 2014, 33.2% of polled in Donetsk Oblast believed "Ukraine and Russia must unite into a single state".

In an opinion poll taken 14–26 March by the International Republican Institute, 53% of Eastern Ukraine support Ukraine remaining as a unitary state while 4% of Eastern Ukraine support separatism ("divide into several countries"). According to a poll conducted by the Donetsk Institute of Social Research and Policy Analysis, 66% of Donetsk residents view their future in a united Ukraine, while 4.7% support separatism.

A poll conducted by the Donetsk Institute of Social Studies and Political Analysis showed that 77% of residents condemned the administrative buildings takeover.

Proclamation

On Sunday, 6 April 2014, 1,000-2,000 pro-Russia protesters attended a rally in Donetsk pushing for a Crimea-style referendum on independence from Ukraine. The proposed referendum has no status-quo option. After which, 200 separatists (according to Igor Dyomin, a spokesman for Donetsk local police, about 1,000) pro-Russian protesters stormed and took control of the first two floors of the building, breaking down doors and smashing windows. The administration headquarters were empty, with only guards inside, as government officials would not work there on Sundays. The separatists demanded that if an extraordinary session was not held by officials, announcing a referendum to join Russia, they would declare unilateral control by forming a "People's Mandate" at noon on 7 April, and dismiss all elected council members and MPs. The people who voted within the RSA were not elected to the positions they assumed. According to the Russian ITAR-TASS the declaration was voted by some regional legislators, however there are claims that neither the Donetsk city council nor district councils of the city delegated any representatives to the session.

On 6 April, the group's leaders announced that a referendum, on whether Donetsk Oblast should "join the Russian Federation", would take place "no later than 11 May 2014." Additionally, the group's leaders have appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin to send Russian peacekeeping forces to the region.

On the morning of 8 April, the 'Patriotic Forces of Donbass', a pro-Kyiv group unrelated to Donetsk Republic organization who proclaimed independence and seized the council, issued a statement on its Facebook page against the other group's declaration of independence, citing complaints from locals. Their announcement stated that they would quash the potential state's establishment, cancel the referendum, and, on their part, stated that the declaration is illegal. Protesters reportedly gave up some weapons too. Despite this, the Donetsk Republic organization continued to occupy the RSA and declared themselves the legitimate authority, and upheld all previous calls for a referendum and the release of their leader Pavel Gubarev. In the afternoon of 8 April, about a thousand people rallied in front of the RSA listening to speeches about the Donetsk People's Republic and to Soviet and Russian music.

Standoff

In response to the actions, acting Ukrainian President Oleksandr Turchynov vowed to launch a major counter-terrorism operation against separatist movements in the country's eastern regions. Later that day on 7 April, the SBU office in Donetsk was retaken by SBU Alpha Group.

Ukrainian acting Interior Minister Arsen Avakov announced on 9 April that the separatist protests in Ukraine's eastern region would be resolved within 48 hours – either through negotiations or the use of force. "There are two opposite ways for resolving this conflict -- a political dialogue and the heavy-handed approach. We are ready for both," he said, according to official news agency Ukrinform. Acting President Olexander Turchynov has already signed a decree to take the Donetsk Regional State Administration "under state protection," and has offered amnesty to the separatists if they lay down their arms and surrender.

Donetsk People's Council

Donetsk People's Council was formed out of protesters who occupied the building of the Donetsk Regional Council on April 6, 2014.

Reactions

Domestic

• Donetsk City Council (and nine district councils of the city) distanced itself of the RSA occupiers and they stated (on 7 April): "The Donetsk city council and district councils continue working in the legal field. We see ensuring the vital functions of the city as our main task".
• The Independent Trade Union of Miners in Donetsk announced it would not support the pro-Russian separatist movement.

Foreign

•  Russia – On 7 April Russia's foreign ministry accused Ukrainian authorities of "blaming" the Russian government for all its troubles and stated "Ukrainian people want to get a clear answer from Kiev to all their questions. It's time to listen to these legal claims". It also stated it was "carefully observing" events in the east and south of Ukraine, and again called for "real constitutional reform" that would turn Ukraine into a federation. In an 7 April opinion piece in The Guardian Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov wrote it was the west, and not Russia, that was guilty of destabilising Ukraine and that "Russia is doing all it can to promote early stabilisation in Ukraine".
•  United States – US Secretary of State John Kerry said on 7 April 2014 that the events "did not appear to be spontaneous" and called on Russia to "publicly disavow the activities of separatists, saboteurs and provocateurs" in a phone call to his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.

See also

• Kharkiv People's Republic
• 2014 pro-Russian protests in Ukraine
• Pavel Gubarev
• Donetsk–Krivoy Rog Soviet Republic
• List of active separatist movements in Europe

Notes

1. According to Ihor Dyomin, a spokesman for Donetsk local police.
2. The group stated they:
   1) do not recognize the Ukrainian authorities;
   2) consider themselves the legitimate authority;
   3) "sent into retirement" of all law enforcement officials appointed by the central government and Governor Serhiy Taruta;
   4) "prescribed" in the May 11 referendum on self-determination Donetsk;
   5) require the issuance of its leader Pavel Gubarev and others are detained separatists;
   6) require Ukraine to withdrawal its troops and paramilitary forces;
   7) start the process of finding mechanisms of cooperation with the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia and other separatist groups (in Kharkiv and Luhansk).

References

1. ^ ""Donetsk Republic" while there is still and wants the Customs Union". Ukrayinska Pravda. April 8, 2014. require the release of its leader Paul Gubarev and other detained separatists;
2. "Сепаратисты в Донецкой ОГА готовятся к штурму и формируют "новое временное правительство" ФОТО". novosti.dn.ua (in Russian). April 8, 2014.
3. In Donetsk, several hundred protesters who had occupied a regional administration building declared a “People’s Republic of Donetsk”, Washington Post, April 7, 2014
4. ^ "Ukraine: Pro-Russians storm offices in Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv". BBC News. April 6, 2014.
5. "Ukraine: pro-Russia activists proclaim independent republic in Donetsk". The Guardian. April 7, 2014.
6. "US Mercenaries and Right Sector Fighters Move Into Donetsk – Militia Leader". RIA Novosti. April 10, 2014.
7. Lally, Kathy; Englund, Will (April 7, 2014). "Uptick in eastern Ukraine tension prompts worries about Russia's next move". Washington Post. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
8. SBU detained the leader of Donetsk Republic. Espreso. March 19, 2014
9. "Pro-Russian Gubarev, a symbol of east Ukraine separatism". GlobalPost. March 10, 2014. Retrieved March 10, 2014.
10. Snyder, Timothy (March 17, 2014). "Far-Right Forces are Influencing Russia's Actions in Crimea". The New Republic. In Donetsk Gubarov was known as a neo-Nazi and as a member of the fascist organization Russian National Unity.
11. Coynash, Halya (March 18, 2014). "Far-Right Recruited as Crimea Poll Observers". Institute for War and Peace Reporting. Pavel Gubarev, a former member of the neo-Nazi, Russian chauvinist Russian National Unity movement
12. ^ "Pro-Russians fortify barricade of gubernatorial building in Donetsk". Kyiv Post. April 10, 2014.
13. http://novosti.dn.ua/details/219773/
14. "Ukrainian city of Donetsk epitomizes country's crisis". CBS News. March 6, 2014. Retrieved March 7, 2014.
15. "Oligarch tries to stamp Kiev authority on restive east". The Financial Times. March 6, 2014. Retrieved March 7, 2014.
16. "Protests in eastern Ukraine aimed at bringing in Russian troops, warns PM". Reuters. April 7, 2014. Retrieved April 7, 2014.
17. "How relations between Ukraine and Russia should look like? Public opinion polls' results". Kyiv International Institute of Sociology. March 4, 2014.
18. "2014 April 5 IRI Public Opinion Survey of Ukraine, March 14-26, 2014.pdf" (PDF). International Republican Institute. April 5, 2014.
19. "66% дончан видят будущее в единой Украине". Donbass News. Retrieved April 9, 2014.
20. "Total of 77 percent of citizens in Donetsk condemn administrative buildings takeover". www.kyivpost.com. April 10, 2014. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
21. ^ "Pro-Russian protesters seize govt buildings in Ukraine's Donetsk, Lugansk and Kharkov". Russia Today. April 7, 2014.
22. ^ "Воскресный штурм ДонОГА в фотографиях". novosti.dn.ua (in Russian). April 6, 2014.
23. ^ "Донецькі сепаратисти готуються сформувати "народну облраду" та приєднатися до РФ" (in Ukrainian). Ukrayinska Pravda. April 6, 2014.
24. "Сепаратисты выставили ультиматум: референдум о вхождении Донецкой области в состав РФ". novosti.dn.ua (in Russian). April 6, 2014.
25. ^ Ukraine crisis: Protesters declare Donetsk 'republic', BBC News (7 April 2014)
26. "The Donetsk city council asks citizens not to participate in unlawful actions". NGO.Donetsk. April 7, 2014.
27. ^ Donetsk City Council urges leaders of protests held in city to hold talks, lay down arms immediately – statement, Interfax-Ukraine (7 April 2014)
28. ^ "Activists declare Donetsk republic after capturing regional administration in Eastern Ukraine". RT News. April 7, 2014. Retrieved April 7, 2014.
29. ^ "Regional legislators proclaim industrial center Donetsk People's Republic". ITAR-TASS. April 7, 2014. Retrieved April 7, 2014.
30. "обращение народа Донбасса к Путину В.В." YouTube.
32. (8 April 2014). Донецкая республика не продержалась и дня? ("Donestk Republic did not last a day?"), pravda.com.ua
33. (8 April 2014). Решение о создании «Донецкой народной республики» отменено (Decision to establish a "people's republic of Donetsk" canceled), Gazeta.ru
34. ^ Ukraine forces retake Kharkiv building, pro-Russians hold out elsewhere, Euronews (2 April 2014)
36. ^ Template:Uk icon "Donetsk Republic" while there is still and wants the Customs Union, Ukrayinska Pravda (8 April 2014)
37. Pro-Russian protesters build barricades at Donetsk city hall, BBC News (8 April 2014)
38. "Pro-Russian Group in Donetsk declare independence from Ukraine". IANS. news.biharprabha.com. Retrieved April 7, 2014.
39. "В Донецке в результате спецоперации освобождено здание СБУ" (in Russian). Ukrainian Independent Information Agency. April 7, 2014.
40. "Спецназ вигнав сепаратистів з будівлі СБУ в Донецьку – Сюмар" (in Ukrainian). Ukrinform. April 7, 2014.
41. http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/09/world/europe/ukraine-crisis/index.html
42. http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2014/04/9/7021915/
43. http://novosti.dn.ua/details/222329/
44. "Сепаратисты выставили ультиматум: референдум о вхождении Донецкой области в состав РФ". novosti.dn.ua (in Russian). April 6, 2014.
45. "Шахтеры Донбасса выступили против сепаратизма" (in Russian). Ukrainian Independent Information Agency. April 7, 2014.
46. Russia trying to 'dismember' Ukraine through protests, Kiev says, CNN (7 April 2014)
47. ^ Ukraine crisis escalates as pro-Russia activists declare independence in Donetsk, The Guardian (7 April 2014)
48. Sergei Lavrov: It's not Russia that is destabilising Ukraine, The Guardian (7 April 2014)

• Articles to be merged from April 2014
• Russian nationalism in Ukraine
• History of Donetsk Oblast
• 2014 in Ukraine
• Unrecognized or largely unrecognized states
• Russian-speaking countries and territories
• Secession in Ukraine
• Disputed territories in Europe
• Rebellions in Ukraine