International recognition of the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic

International recognition of the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic
From April 2014 until September 2022, the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) were two pro-Russian separatist states established in the Donbas, a historical region in easternmost Ukraine. Escalating tensions between pro-Russian separatists and the Ukrainian government, which regarded the two states' secession as illegal, led to the protracted War in Donbas. While the DPR and the LPR remained unrecognized by the international community, they covertly received a substantial amount of financial and military support from neighbouring Russia.
The DPR and the LPR were proclaimed as independent from Ukraine following the 2014 Donbas status referendums, which were organized by pro-Russian separatist authorities a few months after Russia annexed Crimea. The results of the referendums were not officially accepted by any country except for Russia, though the Russian government stopped short of granting official diplomatic recognition to the two separatist states. The Ukrainian government regarded the referendums as illegal and designated the pro-Russian separatists as terrorists.
In 2014, South Ossetia — itself an unrecognized Russian-backed separatist state within Georgia — recognized the independence of the DPR and the LPR.
On 21 February 2022, Russia officially recognized the independence of the DPR and the LPR, amidst a massive Russian military buildup around Ukraine. Four days later, Abkhazia — another unrecognized Russian-backed separatist state within Georgia — recognized the two states as independent, doing so on the second day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The DPR and the LPR were later recognized by two United Nations member states, in addition to Russia: Syria on 29 June 2022, and North Korea on 13 July 2022.
In September 2022, seven months into the invasion, Russian occupation officials staged so-called referendums on annexation in Ukraine's occupied territories. Within a week, Russia proclaimed the annexation of four partly occupied regions in southeastern Ukraine, ending the existence of the DPR and the LPR as independent states. The United Nations and most of the international community have condemned Russian-backed referendums in Ukraine since the beginning of the Russo-Ukrainian War in 2014, regarding all Russian-occupied territory as part of Ukraine. Only North Korea and Syria have explicitly recognized Russia's annexation of these Ukrainian territories.
History and current state
In November 2014, representatives of Novorossiya sent a request of diplomatic recognition to several Latin American states, including Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. None of the states answered the request.
In May 2015, the confederation of Novorossiya was shut down due to its "incompatibility with the Normandy Format plan of peace settlement", promoting for DPR and LPR becoming autonomous regions within the Ukrainian borders.
On 15 February 2022, the Russian State Duma voted to ask President Vladimir Putin to recognize the self-declared Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics in Ukraine as independent states. The bill was proposed by the Communist Party.
On 21 February 2022, the State Duma of Russia passed a bill to officially recognize the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic in Eastern Ukraine as independent states. The bill was approved by President Vladimir Putin. On the same day, Putin signed decrees recognizing the Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic, and also signed agreements on friendship, cooperation, and assistance with the republics.
On 24 February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, part of which including troops in the two territories. While, this recognition just fully followed by Abkhazia on 25 February 2022, with President Decree that signed by Aslan Bzhania to support Russia stance in recognize Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republic.
A February poll released by the independent Levada Center found that 45% of Russians backed Russia's recognition of the separatist-controlled Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics.
State Duma deputy Mikhail Matveev voted in favor of the recognition of the self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Luhansk but later denounced the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, stating After limited success during a seven-month military campaign, Vladimir Putin recognized the military occupations of parts of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts as independent states, and signed treaties of accession to the Russian Federation with the Russian-appointed heads of all four partially occupied regions of Ukraine, despite not having full control of their territories.
Positions taken by states and organizations on independence
Countries and entities that recognized the DPR and LPR as independent states
UN member states
Non-UN states
Countries and entities that supported recognizing the DPR and LPR as independent states
UN member states
Non-UN states
Countries and entities that did not recognize the DPR and LPR as independent states
UN member states
Non-UN states
International and regional organizations
Positions taken on annexation
Two UN member states have recognized the Russian annexation of four partially occupied regions of Ukraine:
See also
2014 Donbas status referendums
Russian invasion of Ukraine
Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation
International recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia
List of states with limited recognition
Notes
References
Foreign relations of the Donetsk People's Republic
Foreign relations of the Luhansk People's Republic
Diplomatic recognition
Politics of Ukraine
Russo-Ukrainian War
Events affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine