In 2014, Russia invaded the Crimea and took it with minimal effort. During that same time, Russian separatists living in eastern Ukraine took over portions of the territory known as the Donbas and declared two nations. These were the Luhansk People's Republic in the north and the Donestsk People's Republic in the south. Neither of these 'nations' were recognized by anyone and in fact, the army of Ukraine spent considerable time trying to regain territory. However, it is difficult when one is fighting an insurgency to really make any progress.

Many of the people living in these areas were ethnic Russians and felt closer ties to Moscow than to Kyiv. All of this was strongly encouraged by the Russians who were supplying these 'nations' with not only a great deal of money, but also arms and troops. Eventually, a stalemate occured and a boundary was agreed upon. Both sides dug in for the long haul and so it pretty much remained until the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which is still being fought.

The above is a very rough synopsis of the situation from 2014 until 2022, as there is a lot more to it. This book covers the situation in regards to the Donetsk People's Republic and specifically the military formations. This includes various military units along with the equipment used. It does not cover the Ukraine side of things nor does it take care of the Luhansk as that will be covered in a later volume.

In addition to a look at the various units, the book includes things such as unit badges, propaganda posters, flags, and other military trappings. A fairly good look at the leadership is also included. The book has the usual full color profiles as well as some excellent maps and all the photos are in full color, as befits a volume on such a recent series of events. It is a superb look at the DPR prior to the overall Russian invasion and how much it is really just a puppet of the Kremlin. It is a book I know you will enjoy reading.

January 2023

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