Donbass Separatist Republics

Last year after the Crimean Crisis, two areas in the East Ukraine region declared themselves separate from the rest of Ukraine. The Separtist republics are Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic. Violent clashes between the Ukraine Government and the Donbass Republics occurred soon afterwords. Vladimir Putin's Russia was/still is frequently accused of invading Ukraine, controlling the rebelling Republics, and having the Russian army attacking Ukraine government troops, with the Russian government denying everyone of the claims against it. Whatever the truth to the accusations, the Russian government is likely to at least be giving the Donbass insurgents weapons and other aid. What is also clear is that several Russian civilians are fighting alongside the rebels. However, it is debatable if Russian troops are actually engaging in combat. Evidence to speculation of Russian involvement is that several of the rebel groups have Russian weapons and uniforms. Several rebel fighters even have ballistic helmets. However, they might have been looted from Ukraine government troops and stolen from armories. On September 2014, the armies of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics have combined into the United Armed Forces of Newrussia.