Как пишется луганская народная республика правильно

Luhansk People’s Republic[b] Луганская Народная Республика
Military occupation and annexation
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem: Государственный Гимн Луганской Народной Республики Gosudarstvennyy Gimn Luganskoy Narodnoy Respubliki «State Anthem of the Luhansk People’s Republic»
Ukraine’s Luhansk Oblast in Europe, claimed and militarily contested as the Luhansk People’s Republic by Russia and its separatist militant formations[4]
Occupied country	Ukraine
Occupying power	Russia
Breakaway state[a]	Lugansk People’s Republic (2014–2022)
Disputed republic of Russia	Lugansk People’s Republic (2022–present)
Entity established	27 April 2014[5]
Eastern Ukraine offensive	24 February 2022
Annexation by Russia	30 September 2022
Administrative centre	Luhansk
Government
• Body	People’s Council
• Head of the LPR	Leonid Pasechnik
Population  (2019)[6]
• Total	1,485,300[c]

The Luhansk People’s Republic or Lugansk People’s Republic^[d] (Russian: Луга́нская Наро́дная Респу́блика, romanized: Luganskaya Narodnaya Respublika, IPA: [lʊˈɡanskəjə nɐˈrodnəjə rʲɪˈspublʲɪkə]; abbreviated as LPR or LNR, Russian: ЛНР) is an unrecognised republic of Russia in the occupied parts of eastern Ukraine’s Luhansk Oblast, with its capital in Luhansk.^[7][8] The LPR was created by militarily-armed Russian-backed separatists in 2014, and it initially operated as a breakaway state until it was annexed by Russia in 2022.

Following Ukraine’s Revolution of Dignity in 2014, pro-Russian unrest erupted in the eastern part of the country. Shortly thereafter, Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine, while the armed separatists seized government buildings and proclaimed the Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR) and Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) as independent states, which received no international recognition from United Nations member states before 2022. This sparked the War in Donbas, part of the wider Russo-Ukrainian War.

On 21 February 2022, Russia recognised the LPR and DPR as sovereign states. Three days later, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, partially under the pretext of protecting the republics. Russian forces captured more of Luhansk Oblast (almost the entirety of it),^[9] which became part of the LPR. In September 2022, Russia announced the annexation of the LPR and other occupied territories, following disputed referendums which were illegal under international law. The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution calling on countries not to recognise what it called the «attempted illegal annexation» and demanded that Russia «immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw».^[10]

The Head of the Luhansk People’s Republic is Leonid Pasechnik, and its parliament is the People’s Council. The ideology of the LPR is said to have been shaped by right-wing Russian nationalism, neo-imperialism and Orthodox fundamentalism.^[11] Organizations such as the United Nations Human Rights Office and Human Rights Watch have reported human rights abuses in the LPR, including internment, torture, extrajudicial killings, forced conscription, as well as political and media repression. Ukraine views the LPR and DPR as terrorist organisations.^[12] The LPR and DPR are sometimes described as puppet states of Russia during their periods of nominal independence.^[1][2][3]

Geography and demographics

The 2014 constitution of the Luhansk People’s Republic (art. 54.1) defined the territory of the republic as «determined by the borders existing on the day of establishment», without describing the borders.^[13] From February 2015 up until February 2022, the LPR’s de facto borders were the Russo–Ukrainian border (south and east), the border between Ukraine’s Luhansk Oblast and Donetsk Oblast (west), and the line of contact with Ukrainian troops (north) as defined in the Minsk agreements between Ukraine, Russia, and the OSCE. When the Russian president announced recognition of the republics’ independence on February 22, 2022, he said «we recognized all their fundamental documents, including the constitution. And the constitution spells out the borders within the Donetsk and Luhansk regions at the time when they were part of Ukraine».^[14]

Ukraine’s Luhansk Oblast and the LPR-controlled area from April 2014 to February 2022 are both landlocked.

The highest point in left-bank Ukraine is Mohyla Mechetna hill (367.1 m (1,204 ft) above sea level), which is located in the vicinity of the city of Petrovske, in LPR-controlled territory.^[15]

In December 2017, approximately 1.4 million lived in the LPR’s territory, with 435,000 in the city of Luhansk.^[16] Leaked documents suggest that less than three million people, less than half of the pre-war population, remained in the separatist territories that Moscow controlled in eastern Ukraine in early February 2022, and 38% of those remaining were pensioners.^[17]

On 18 February 2022, the LPR and DPR separatist authorities ordered a general evacuation of women and children to Russia, and the next day a full mobilization of males «able to hold a weapon in their hands».^[18]

History

Luhansk and Donetsk People’s republics are located in the historical region of Donbas, which was added to Ukraine in 1922.^[19] The majority of the population speaks Russian as their first language. Attempts by various Ukrainian governments to question the legitimacy of the Russian culture in Ukraine had since the Declaration of Independence of Ukraine often resulted in political conflict. In the Ukrainian national elections, a remarkably stable pattern had developed, where Donbas and the Western Ukrainian regions had voted for the opposite candidates since the presidential election in 1994. Viktor Yanukovych, a Donetsk native, had been elected as a president of Ukraine in 2010. His overthrow in the 2014 Ukrainian revolution led to protests in Eastern Ukraine, which gradually escalated into an armed conflict between the newly formed Ukrainian government and the local armed militias.^[20]

Formation (2014–2015)

Occupation of government buildings

On 5 March 2014, 12 days after the protesters in Kyiv seized the president’s office (at the time Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych had already fled Ukraine^[21]),^[22] a crowd of people in front of the Luhansk Oblast State Administration building proclaimed Aleksandr Kharitonov as «People’s Governor» in Luhansk region. On 9 March 2014 Luganskaya Gvardiya of Kharitonov stormed the government building in Luhansk and forced the newly appointed Governor of Luhansk Oblast, Mykhailo Bolotskykh, to sign a letter of resignation.^[23]

One thousand pro-Russian activists seized and occupied the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) building in the city of Luhansk on 6 April 2014, following similar occupations in Donetsk and Kharkiv.^[24][25] The activists demanded that separatist leaders who had been arrested in previous weeks be released.^[24] In anticipation of attempts by the government to retake the building, barricades were erected to reinforce the positions of the activists.^[26][27] It was proposed by the activists that a «Lugansk Parliamentary Republic» be declared on 8 April 2014, but this did not occur.^[28][29] By 12 April, the government had regained control over the SBU building with the assistance of local police forces.^[30]

Several thousand protesters gathered for a ‘people’s assembly’ outside the regional state administration (RSA) building in Luhansk city on 21 April. These protesters called for the creation of a ‘people’s government’, and demanded either federalisation of Ukraine or incorporation of Luhansk into the Russian Federation.^[31] They elected Valery Bolotov as ‘People’s Governor’ of Luhansk Oblast.^[32] Two referendums were announced by the leadership of the activists. One was scheduled for 11 May, and was meant to determine whether the region would seek greater autonomy (and potentially independence), or retain its previous constitutional status within Ukraine. Another referendum, meant to be held on 18 May in the event that the first referendum favoured autonomy, was to determine whether the region would join the Russian Federation, or become independent.^[33]

During a gathering outside the RSA building on 27 April 2014, pro-Russian activists proclaimed the «Luhansk People’s Republic».^[34] The protesters issued demands, which said that the Ukrainian government should provide amnesty for all protesters, include the Russian language as an official language of Ukraine, and also hold a referendum on the status of Luhansk Oblast.^[34] They then warned the Ukrainian government that if it did not meet these demands by 14:00 on 29 April, they would launch an armed insurgency in tandem with that of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR).^[34][35]

As the Ukrainian government did not respond to these demands, 2,000 to 3,000 activists, some of them armed, seized the RSA building, and a local prosecutor’s office, on 29 April.^[36] The buildings were both ransacked, and then occupied by the protesters.^[37] Protestors waved local flags, alongside those of Russia and the neighbouring Donetsk People’s Republic.^[38] The police officers that had been guarding the building offered little resistance to the takeover, and some of them defected and supported the activists.^[39]

Territorial expansion

Demonstrations by pro-Russian activists began to spread across Luhansk Oblast towards the end of April. The municipal administration building in Pervomaisk was overrun on 29 April 2014, and the Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR) flag was raised over it.^[40][41] Oleksandr Turchynov, then acting president of Ukraine, admitted the next day that government forces were unable to stabilise the situation in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.^[42] On the same day, activists seized control of the Alchevsk municipal administration building.^[43] In Krasnyi Luch, the municipal council conceded to demands by activists to support the 11 May 2014 referendum, and followed by raising the Russian flag over the building.^[40]

Insurgents occupied the municipal council building in Stakhanov on 1 May 2014. Later in the week, they stormed the local police station, business centre, and SBU building.^[44][45] Activists in Rovenky occupied a police building there on 5 May, but quickly left.^[46] On the same day, the police headquarters in Slovianoserbsk was seized by members of the Army of the South-East, a pro-Russian Luhansk regional militia group.^[47][48] In addition, the town of Antratsyt was occupied by the Don Cossacks.^[49][50]

Some said that the occupiers came from Russia;^[51] the Cossacks themselves said that only a few people among them had come from Russia.^[52] On 7 May, insurgents also seized the prosecutor’s office in Sievierodonetsk.^[53] Luhansk People’s Republic supporters stormed government buildings in Starobilsk on 8 May, replacing the Ukrainian flag with that of the Republic.^[54] Sources within the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs said that as of 10 May 2014, the day before the proposed status referendum, Ukrainian forces still retained control over 50% of Luhansk Oblast.^[55]

Status referendum

The planned referendum on the status of Luhansk oblast was held on 11 May 2014.^[56] The organisers of the referendum said that 96.2% of those who voted were in favour of self-rule, with 3.8% against.^[57] They said that voter turnout was at 81%. There were no international observers present to validate the referendum.^[57]

Declaration of independence

Following the referendum, the head of the Republic, Valery Bolotov, said that the Republic had become an «independent state».^[58] The still-extant Luhansk Oblast Council did not support independence, but called for immediate federalisation of Ukraine, asserting that «an absolute majority of people voted for the right to make their own decisions about how to live».^[59][60] The council also requested an immediate end to Ukrainian military activity in the region, amnesty for anti-government protestors, and official status for the Russian language in Ukraine.^[60]

Valery Bolotov was wounded in an assassination attempt on 13 May.^[61] Luhansk People’s Republic authorities blamed the incident on the Ukrainian government. Government forces later captured Alexei Rilke, the commander of the Army of the South-East.^[62] The next day, Ukrainian border guards arrested Valery Bolotov. Just over two hours later, after unsuccessfully attempting negotiations, 150 to 200 armed separatists attacked the Dovzhansky checkpoint where he had been held. The ensuing firefight led Ukrainian government forces to free Bolotov.^[63]

On 24 May 2014 the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Luhansk People’s Republic jointly announced their intention to form a confederative «union of People’s Republics» called New Russia.^[64] Republic President Valery Bolotov said on 28 May that the Luhansk People’s Republic would begin to introduce its own legislation based on Russian law; he said Ukrainian law was unsuitable due to it being «written for oligarchs».^[65] Vasily Nikitin, prime minister of the Republic, announced that elections to the State Council would take place in September.^[66]

The leadership of the Luhansk People’s Republic said on 12 June 2014 that it would attempt to establish a «union state» with Russia.^[67] The government added that it would seek to boost trade with Russia through legislative, agricultural and economic changes.^[67]

Stakhanov, a city that had been occupied by LPR-affiliated Don Cossacks, seceded from the Luhansk People’s Republic on 14 September 2014.^{[68][failed verification]} Don Cossacks there proclaimed the Republic of Stakhanov, and said that a «Cossack government» now ruled in Stakhanov.^[68][69] However the following day this was claimed^{[by whom?]} to be a fabrication, and an unnamed Don Cossack leader stated the 14 September meeting had, in fact, resulted in 12,000 Cossacks volunteering to join the LPR forces.^[70] Elections to the LPR Supreme Council took place on 2 November 2014, as the LPR did not allow the Ukrainian parliamentary election to be held in territory under its control.^[71][72]

Human rights in the early stages of the war

In May 2014 the United Nations observed an «alarming deterioration» of human rights in insurgent-held territory in eastern Ukraine.^[73] The UN detailed growing lawlessness, documenting cases of targeted killings, torture, and abduction, carried out by Luhansk People’s Republic insurgents.^[74] The UN also highlighted threats, attacks, and abductions of journalists and international observers, as well as the beatings and attacks on supporters of Ukrainian unity.^[74] An 18 November 2014 United Nations report on eastern Ukraine declared that the Luhansk People’s Republic was in a state of «total breakdown of law and order».^[75]

The report noted «cases of serious human rights abuses by the armed groups continued to be reported, including torture, arbitrary and incommunicado detention, summary executions, forced labour, sexual violence, as well as the destruction and illegal seizure of property may amount to crimes against humanity».^[75] The report also stated that the insurgents violated the rights of Ukrainian-speaking children because schools in rebel-controlled areas only teach in Russian.^[75] The United Nations also accused the Ukrainian Army and Ukrainian (volunteer) territorial defence battalions of human rights abuses such as illegal detention, torture and ill-treatment, noting official denials.^[75] In a 15 December 2014 press conference in Kyiv UN Assistant Secretary-General for human rights Ivan Šimonović stated that the majority of human rights violations, including executions without trial, arrests and torture, were committed in areas controlled by pro-Russian rebels.^[76]

In November 2014, Amnesty International called the «People’s Court» (public trials where allegedly random locals are the jury) held in the Luhansk People’s Republic «an outrageous violation of the international humanitarian law».^[77]

In January 2015, the Luhansk Communist Party criticised the current situation in the region. In their statement they expressed «deep disappointment» with how the situation developed from «authentic people’s protests a year ago» to «return of corruption and banditism».^[78] In December 2015 the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine reported «Parallel ‘justice systems’ have begun operating» in territory controlled by the Luhansk People’s Republic.^[79] They criticised this judiciary to be «non-transparent, subject to constant change, seriously under-resourced and, in many instances, completely non-functional».^[79]

Static war period (2015–2022)

On 1 January 2015, forces loyal to the Luhansk People’s Republic ambushed and killed Alexander Bednov, head of a pro-Russian battalion called «Batman». Bednov was accused of murder, abduction and other abuses. An arrest warrant for Bednov and several other battalion members had been previously issued by the separatists’ prosecutor’s office.^[80][81][82]

On 12 February 2015, DPR and LPR leaders Alexander Zakharchenko and Igor Plotnitsky signed the Minsk II agreement, although without any mention of their self-proclaimed titles or the republics.^[83] In the Minsk agreement it is agreed to introducing amendments to the Ukrainian constitution «the key element of which is decentralisation» and the holding of elections «on temporary order of local self-governance in particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, based in the line set up by the Minsk Memorandum as of 19 September 2014»; in return rebel held territory would be reintegrated into Ukraine.^[83][84] Representatives of the DPR and LPR continue to forward their proposals concerning Minsk II to the Trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine.^[85] Plotnitsky told journalists on 18 February 2015: «Will we be part of Ukraine? This depends on what kind of Ukraine it will be. If it remains like it is now, we will never be together.»^[86]

On 20 May 2015, the leadership of the Federal State of Novorossiya announced the termination of the confederation ‘project’.^[87]

On 19 April 2016, planned (organised by the LPR) local elections were postponed from 24 April to 24 July 2016.^[88] On 22 July 2016, this elections was again postponed to 6 November 2016.^[89] (On 2 October 2016, the DPR and LPR held «primaries» in were voters voted to nominate candidates for participation in the 6 November 2016 elections.^[90] Ukraine denounced these «primaries» as illegal.^[90])

The «LPR Prosecutor General’s Office» announced late September 2016, that it had thwarted a coup attempt ringleaded by former LPR appointed prime minister Gennadiy Tsypkalov (who they stated had committed suicide on 23 September while in detention).^[91] Meanwhile, it had also imprisoned former LPR parliamentary speaker Aleksey Karyakin and former LPR interior minister, Igor Kornet.^[92] DPR leader Zakharchenko said he had helped to thwart the coup (stating «I had to send a battalion to solve their problems»).^[92]

On 4 February 2017, LPR defence minister Oleg Anashchenko was killed in a car bomb attack in Luhansk.^[93] Separatists claimed «Ukrainian secret services» were suspected of being behind the attack; while Ukrainian officials suggested Anashchenko’s death may be the result of an internal power struggle among rebel leaders.^[93]

Mid-March 2017 Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signed a decree on a temporary ban on the movement of goods to and from territory controlled by the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic and Donetsk People’s Republic; this also means that since then Ukraine does not buy coal from the Donets Black Coal Basin.^[94]

On 21 November 2017, armed men in unmarked uniforms took up positions in the center of Luhansk in what appeared to be a power struggle between the head of the republic Plotnitsky and the (sacked by Plotnitsky) LPR appointed interior minister Igor Kornet.^[95][96] Media reports stated that the DPR had sent armed troops to Luhansk the following night.^[95][96] Three days later the website of the separatists stated that Plotnitsky had resigned «for health reasons. Multiple war wounds, the effects of blast injuries, took their toll.»^[97] The website stated that security minister Leonid Pasechnik had been named acting leader «until the next elections.»^[97]

Plotnitsky was stated to become the separatist’s representative to the Minsk process.^[97] Plotnitsky himself did not issue a public statement on 24 November 2017.^[97] Russian media reported that Plotnitsky had fled the unrecognised republic on 23 November 2017, first travelling from Luhansk to Rostov-on-Don by car and then flying to Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport.^[98] On 25 November the 38-member separatist republic’s People’s Council unanimously approved Plotnitsky’s resignation.^[99] Pasechnik declared his adherence to the Minsk accords, claiming «The republic will be consistently executing the obligations taken under these agreements.»^[100]

In June 2019 Russia started giving Russian passports to the inhabitants of the LPR and Donetsk People’s Republic under a simplified procedure allegedly on «humanitarian grounds» (such as enabling international travel for eastern Ukrainian residents whose passports have expired).^[101] According to Ukrainian press by mid-2021 half a million Russian passports had been received by local residents.^[102] Deputy Kremlin Chief of Staff Dmitry Kozak stated in a July 2021 interview with Politique internationale that 470 thousand local residents had received a Russian passport; he added that «as soon as the situation in Donbas is resolved….The general procedure for granting citizenship will be restored.»^[103]

In early June 2020, the LPR declared Russian as the only state language on its territory, removing Ukrainian from its school curriculum.^[104] Previously the separatist leaders had made Ukrainian LPR’s second state language, but in practice it was already disappearing from school curricula prior to June 2020.^[105]

In January 2021 the Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic stated in a «Russian Donbas doctrine» that they aimed to seize all of the territories of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblast under control by the Ukrainian government «in the near future.»^[106] The document did not specifically state the intention of DPR and LPR to be annexed by Russia.^[106]

Full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine (2022–present)

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (July 2022)

On 21 February 2022, Russia recognised the independence of the DPR and LPR.^[107] The next day, the Federation Council of Russia authorised the use of military force, and Russian forces openly advanced into both territories.^[108] Russian president Vladimir Putin declared that the Minsk agreements «no longer existed», and that Ukraine, not Russia, was to blame for their collapse.^[109] A military attack into Ukrainian government-controlled territory began on the morning of 24 February,^[110] when Putin announced a «special military operation» to «demilitarise and denazify» Ukraine.^[111][112]

On May 6, as part of the eastern Ukraine offensive, the Russian Armed Forces and Luhansk People’s Republic military started a battle to capture Sievierodonetsk, the de facto administrative capital of Ukrainian-controlled Luhansk Oblast. On 25 June 2022, Sievierodonetsk was fully occupied by Russian and separatist forces. This was followed by the capture of Lysychansk on 3 July, which brought all of Luhansk Oblast under the control of Russian and separatist forces.

This resulted in a 63 day period during which the whole of Luhansk Oblast was controlled by separatist forces. However, during the 2022 Ukrainian Kharkiv counteroffensive starting on September 4, the village of Bilohorivka became contested between Ukrainian and Russian forces;^[113] on September 10, the village was confirmed to be under Ukrainian control.^[114]

Recognition and international relations

The Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR) initially sought recognition as a sovereign state following its declaration of independence in April 2014. Subsequently, the LPR willingly acceded to the Russian Federation as a Russian federal subject in September–October 2022, effectively ceasing to exist as a sovereign state in any capacity and revoking its status as such in the eyes of the international community. The LPR claims direct succession to Ukraine’s Luhansk Oblast.

From 2014 to 2022, Ukraine, the United Nations, and most of the international community regarded the LPR as an illegal entity occupying a portion of Ukraine’s Luhansk Oblast (see: International sanctions during the Russo-Ukrainian War). The Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), which had a similar backstory, was regarded in the exact same way. Crimea’s status was treated slightly differently since Russia annexed that territory immediately after its declaration of independence in March 2014.

Up until February 2022, Russia did not recognise the LPR, although it maintained informal relations with the LPR. On 21 February 2022, Russia officially recognised the LPR and the DPR at the same time,^[115] marking a major escalation in the 2021–2022 diplomatic crisis between Russia and Ukraine. Three days later, on 24 February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of the entire country of Ukraine, partially under the pretext of protecting the LPR and the DPR. The war had wide-reaching repercussions for Ukraine, Russia, and the international community as a whole (see: War crimes, Humanitarian impact, Environmental impact, Economic impact, and Ukrainian cultural heritage). In September 2022, Russia made moves to consolidate the territories that it had occupied in Ukraine, including Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts. Russia officially annexed these four territories in September–October 2022.

Between February 2022 and October 2022, in addition to receiving Russian recognition, the LPR was recognised by North Korea (13 July 2022)^[116] and Syria (29 June 2022).^[117][118] This means that three United Nations member states recognised the LPR in total throughout its period of de facto independence. The LPR was also recognised by three other breakaway entities: the DPR, South Ossetia (19 June 2014),^[119] and Abkhazia (25 February 2022).^[120]

Relations with Ukraine

The LPR has been in a state of armed conflict with Ukraine ever since the former declared independence in 2014. The Ukrainian military operation against the republic is officially called an anti-terrorist operation, although it is not considered to be a terrorist entity by the Supreme Court of Ukraine itself^[121] nor by either the EU, the US, or Russia.^{[122][123][124]}

Relations with Russia

During most of its lifetime, Russia did not recognise the LPR as a state. It nevertheless recognised official documents issued by the LPR authorities, such as identity documents, diplomas, birth and marriage certificates and vehicle registration plates.^[125] This recognition was introduced in February 2017^[125] and enabled people living in LPR-controlled territories to travel, work or study in Russia.^[125] According to the presidential decree that introduced it, the reason for the decree was «to protect human rights and freedoms» in accordance with «the widely recognised principles of international humanitarian law.»^[126] Ukrainian authorities decried the decree and claimed that it was contradictory to the Minsk II agreement, and also that it «legally recognised the quasi-state terrorist groups which cover Russia’s occupation of part of Donbas.»^[127]

On 21 February 2022, the Russian government recognised the Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics in dawn of 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. During the invasion, forces from the LPR fought together with Russian forces against Ukraine. On 3 July 2022, Russia claimed to have full control over Ukraine’s Luhansk Oblast.^[128]

Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian president and as of July 2022 vice chairman of the Russian Security Council, in July 2022 shared a map of Ukraine wherein most of Ukraine, including LPR, had been absorbed by Russia.^[129]

Government and politics

A report by the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI) stated that the official ideology of the LPR is shaped by right-wing Russian nationalism, neo-imperialism and Orthodox fundamentalism.^[11] Al Jazeera described it as neo-Stalinist and a «totalitarian, North Korea-like statelet».^[130] The LPR and DPR are sometimes described as puppet states of Russia during their periods of nominal independence.^[1][2][3]

Constitution

The People’s Council of the LPR ratified a temporary constitution on 18 May 2014.^[131] Its government styles itself as a people’s republic. The form of the Luhansk People’s Republic’s parliament is called the People’s Council and has 50 deputies.^[132] Aleksey Karyakin was elected as its first head on 18 May 2014.^[92] Its anthem is «Glory to Luhansk People’s Republic!» (Russian: Луганской Народной Республике, Слава!), also known as «Live and Shine, LPR».^[133][134]

Elections

The first parliamentary elections to the legislature of the Luhansk People’s Republic were held on 2 November 2014.^[132] People of at least 30 years old who «permanently resided in Luhansk People’s Republic the last 10 years» were electable for four years and could be nominated by public organisations.^[132] All residents of Luhansk Oblast were eligible to vote, even if they are residents of areas controlled by Ukrainian government forces or fled to Russia or other places in Ukraine as refugees.^[71]

Ukraine urged Russia to use its influence to stop the election «to avoid a frozen conflict».^[135] Russia on the other hand indicated it «will of course recognise the results of the election»; Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that the election «will be important to legitimise the authorities there».^[72] Ukraine held the 2014 Ukrainian parliamentary election on 26 October 2014; these were boycotted by the Donetsk People’s Republic and hence voting for it did not take place in Ukraine’s eastern districts controlled by forces loyal to the Luhansk People’s Republic.^[72][135]

On 6 July 2015 the Luhansk People’s Republic leader (LPR) Igor Plotnitsky set elections for «mayors and regional heads» for 1 November 2015 in territory under his control.^{[citation needed]} (Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) leader Alexander Zakharchenko issued a decree on 2 July 2015 that ordered local DPR elections to be held on 18 October 2015. He said that this action was «in accordance with the Minsk agreements».^[136]) On 6 October 2015 the DPR and LPR leadership postponed their planned elections to 21 February 2016.^[137]

This happened 4 days after a Normandy four meeting in which it was agreed that the October 2015 Ukrainian local elections in LPR and DPR controlled territories would be held in accordance to the February 2015 Minsk II agreement.^[138] At the meeting President of France François Hollande stated that in order to hold these elections (in LPR and DPR controlled territories) it was necessary «since we need three months to organize elections» to hold these elections in 2016.^[138] Also during the meeting it is believed that Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to use his influence to not allow the DPR and Luhansk People’s Republic election to take place on 18 October 2015 and 1 November 2015.^[138] On 4 November 2016 both DPR and LPR postponed their local elections, they had set for 6 November 2016, «until further notice».^{[citation needed]}

Additional elections took place simultaneously in Donetsk and Luhansk republics on 11 November 2018. The official position of the U.S. and European union is that this vote is illegitimate because it was not controlled by the Ukrainian government, and that it was contrary to the 2015 Minsk agreement. Leonid Pasechnik, the head of the Luhansk People’s Republic, disagreed and said that the vote was in accordance with the Minsk Agreement. The separatist leaders said that the election was a key step toward establishing full-fledged democracy in the regions. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said that residents of eastern Ukraine should not to participate in the vote. Nevertheless, both regions reported voter turnout of more than 70 per cent as of two hours before the polls closed at 8 p.m. local time.^{[139][140][141]}

Public opposition in the LPR is virtually non-existent.^[17]

Military

The People’s Militia of the LPR (Russian: Народная милиция ЛНР) comprise the Russian separatist forces in the LPR.^{[142][143][144]} On 7 October 2014, by decree Igor Plotnitsky, the People’s Militia was created, with Oleg Bugrov serving as Minister of Defense and the Commander-in-Chief of the People’s Militia.^[145][146] It has been reported that it is under the control 2nd Army Corps, which is subordinated to the specially created 12th Reserve Command of the Southern Military District of the Russian Armed Forces at its headquarters in the city of Novocherkassk, Rostov Oblast.^[147][148] By 2016 Russian officers commanded the LPR units from the battalion level up. The former commanders, some of whom retained substantial personal security forces, sometimes acted as deputy commanders.^[149]

Administrative divisions

In 2020, Luhansk Oblast conducted an administrative reform, reducing its 32 regions to eight districts. The LPR uses the oblast’s old administrative divisions on its controlled territory. See List of raions of Ukraine (1966-2020) § XII. Luhansk Oblast.

Human rights

Freedom House evaluates the eastern Donbas territories controlled by the LPR and DPR as «not free», scoring 4 out of 100 in its 2022 Freedom in the World index.^[150] Concerns include strict control over politics by the security services, allowing no meaningful opposition, and harsh restrictions on local media. Pro-Ukrainian bloggers and journalists have been given long prison sentences, and people have been arrested for critical posts on social media. Freedom House also reported that there was a «prevailing hostility» to the Ukrainian ethnic identity and an «intensifying campaign» against the Ukrainian language and identity.

According to Freedom House, basic due process guarantees are not followed and arbitrary arrests and detentions are common. A 2020 UN report said that interviews with released prisoners «confirmed patterns of torture and ill-treatment». Abuse, including torture and sexual violence, has been widely reported to occur in separatist prisons and detention centers.^[150]

A 2022 report by Al Jazeera said that «the ‘republics’ are understood to have evolved into totalitarian, North Korea-like statelets», and that reportedly thousands have been tortured and abused in «cellars» under the separatist authorities.^[151]

Economy

As of May 2015, pensions started being paid in mostly Russian rubles by the Luhansk People’s Republic. 85% were in rubles, 12% in hryvnias, and 3% in dollars according to LPR Head Igor Plotnitsky.^[152] Ukraine completely stopped paying pensions for the elderly and disabled in areas under DPR and LPR control on 1 December 2014.^[153]

Sports and culture

The football team of the Luhansk People’s republic is ranked sixteenth in the Confederation of Independent Football Associations world ranking.^[154] A football match between LPR and DPR was played on 8 August 2015 at the Metalurh Stadium in Donetsk.^[155]

See also

• List of states with limited recognition
• Malaysia Airlines Flight 17
• Russian occupation of Luhansk Oblast

Notes

References

External links

• Official website of the Council of Ministers of LPR (in Russian)^{[dead link]}
• Lugansk Media Centre

Luhansk People’s Republic[b] Луганская Народная Республика
Military occupation and annexation
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem: Государственный Гимн Луганской Народной Республики Gosudarstvennyy Gimn Luganskoy Narodnoy Respubliki «State Anthem of the Luhansk People’s Republic»
Ukraine’s Luhansk Oblast in Europe, claimed and militarily contested as the Luhansk People’s Republic by Russia and its separatist militant formations[4]
Occupied country	Ukraine
Occupying power	Russia
Breakaway state[a]	Lugansk People’s Republic (2014–2022)
Disputed republic of Russia	Lugansk People’s Republic (2022–present)
Entity established	27 April 2014[5]
Eastern Ukraine offensive	24 February 2022
Annexation by Russia	30 September 2022
Administrative centre	Luhansk
Government
• Body	People’s Council
• Head of the LPR	Leonid Pasechnik
Population  (2019)[6]
• Total	1,485,300[c]

The Luhansk People’s Republic or Lugansk People’s Republic^[d] (Russian: Луга́нская Наро́дная Респу́блика, romanized: Luganskaya Narodnaya Respublika, IPA: [lʊˈɡanskəjə nɐˈrodnəjə rʲɪˈspublʲɪkə]; abbreviated as LPR or LNR, Russian: ЛНР) is an unrecognised republic of Russia in the occupied parts of eastern Ukraine’s Luhansk Oblast, with its capital in Luhansk.^[7][8] The LPR was created by militarily-armed Russian-backed separatists in 2014, and it initially operated as a breakaway state until it was annexed by Russia in 2022.

Following Ukraine’s Revolution of Dignity in 2014, pro-Russian unrest erupted in the eastern part of the country. Shortly thereafter, Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine, while the armed separatists seized government buildings and proclaimed the Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR) and Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) as independent states, which received no international recognition from United Nations member states before 2022. This sparked the War in Donbas, part of the wider Russo-Ukrainian War.

On 21 February 2022, Russia recognised the LPR and DPR as sovereign states. Three days later, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, partially under the pretext of protecting the republics. Russian forces captured more of Luhansk Oblast (almost the entirety of it),^[9] which became part of the LPR. In September 2022, Russia announced the annexation of the LPR and other occupied territories, following disputed referendums which were illegal under international law. The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution calling on countries not to recognise what it called the «attempted illegal annexation» and demanded that Russia «immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw».^[10]

The Head of the Luhansk People’s Republic is Leonid Pasechnik, and its parliament is the People’s Council. The ideology of the LPR is said to have been shaped by right-wing Russian nationalism, neo-imperialism and Orthodox fundamentalism.^[11] Organizations such as the United Nations Human Rights Office and Human Rights Watch have reported human rights abuses in the LPR, including internment, torture, extrajudicial killings, forced conscription, as well as political and media repression. Ukraine views the LPR and DPR as terrorist organisations.^[12] The LPR and DPR are sometimes described as puppet states of Russia during their periods of nominal independence.^[1][2][3]

Geography and demographics

The 2014 constitution of the Luhansk People’s Republic (art. 54.1) defined the territory of the republic as «determined by the borders existing on the day of establishment», without describing the borders.^[13] From February 2015 up until February 2022, the LPR’s de facto borders were the Russo–Ukrainian border (south and east), the border between Ukraine’s Luhansk Oblast and Donetsk Oblast (west), and the line of contact with Ukrainian troops (north) as defined in the Minsk agreements between Ukraine, Russia, and the OSCE. When the Russian president announced recognition of the republics’ independence on February 22, 2022, he said «we recognized all their fundamental documents, including the constitution. And the constitution spells out the borders within the Donetsk and Luhansk regions at the time when they were part of Ukraine».^[14]

Ukraine’s Luhansk Oblast and the LPR-controlled area from April 2014 to February 2022 are both landlocked.

The highest point in left-bank Ukraine is Mohyla Mechetna hill (367.1 m (1,204 ft) above sea level), which is located in the vicinity of the city of Petrovske, in LPR-controlled territory.^[15]

In December 2017, approximately 1.4 million lived in the LPR’s territory, with 435,000 in the city of Luhansk.^[16] Leaked documents suggest that less than three million people, less than half of the pre-war population, remained in the separatist territories that Moscow controlled in eastern Ukraine in early February 2022, and 38% of those remaining were pensioners.^[17]

On 18 February 2022, the LPR and DPR separatist authorities ordered a general evacuation of women and children to Russia, and the next day a full mobilization of males «able to hold a weapon in their hands».^[18]

History

Luhansk and Donetsk People’s republics are located in the historical region of Donbas, which was added to Ukraine in 1922.^[19] The majority of the population speaks Russian as their first language. Attempts by various Ukrainian governments to question the legitimacy of the Russian culture in Ukraine had since the Declaration of Independence of Ukraine often resulted in political conflict. In the Ukrainian national elections, a remarkably stable pattern had developed, where Donbas and the Western Ukrainian regions had voted for the opposite candidates since the presidential election in 1994. Viktor Yanukovych, a Donetsk native, had been elected as a president of Ukraine in 2010. His overthrow in the 2014 Ukrainian revolution led to protests in Eastern Ukraine, which gradually escalated into an armed conflict between the newly formed Ukrainian government and the local armed militias.^[20]

Formation (2014–2015)

Occupation of government buildings

On 5 March 2014, 12 days after the protesters in Kyiv seized the president’s office (at the time Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych had already fled Ukraine^[21]),^[22] a crowd of people in front of the Luhansk Oblast State Administration building proclaimed Aleksandr Kharitonov as «People’s Governor» in Luhansk region. On 9 March 2014 Luganskaya Gvardiya of Kharitonov stormed the government building in Luhansk and forced the newly appointed Governor of Luhansk Oblast, Mykhailo Bolotskykh, to sign a letter of resignation.^[23]

One thousand pro-Russian activists seized and occupied the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) building in the city of Luhansk on 6 April 2014, following similar occupations in Donetsk and Kharkiv.^[24][25] The activists demanded that separatist leaders who had been arrested in previous weeks be released.^[24] In anticipation of attempts by the government to retake the building, barricades were erected to reinforce the positions of the activists.^[26][27] It was proposed by the activists that a «Lugansk Parliamentary Republic» be declared on 8 April 2014, but this did not occur.^[28][29] By 12 April, the government had regained control over the SBU building with the assistance of local police forces.^[30]

Several thousand protesters gathered for a ‘people’s assembly’ outside the regional state administration (RSA) building in Luhansk city on 21 April. These protesters called for the creation of a ‘people’s government’, and demanded either federalisation of Ukraine or incorporation of Luhansk into the Russian Federation.^[31] They elected Valery Bolotov as ‘People’s Governor’ of Luhansk Oblast.^[32] Two referendums were announced by the leadership of the activists. One was scheduled for 11 May, and was meant to determine whether the region would seek greater autonomy (and potentially independence), or retain its previous constitutional status within Ukraine. Another referendum, meant to be held on 18 May in the event that the first referendum favoured autonomy, was to determine whether the region would join the Russian Federation, or become independent.^[33]

During a gathering outside the RSA building on 27 April 2014, pro-Russian activists proclaimed the «Luhansk People’s Republic».^[34] The protesters issued demands, which said that the Ukrainian government should provide amnesty for all protesters, include the Russian language as an official language of Ukraine, and also hold a referendum on the status of Luhansk Oblast.^[34] They then warned the Ukrainian government that if it did not meet these demands by 14:00 on 29 April, they would launch an armed insurgency in tandem with that of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR).^[34][35]

As the Ukrainian government did not respond to these demands, 2,000 to 3,000 activists, some of them armed, seized the RSA building, and a local prosecutor’s office, on 29 April.^[36] The buildings were both ransacked, and then occupied by the protesters.^[37] Protestors waved local flags, alongside those of Russia and the neighbouring Donetsk People’s Republic.^[38] The police officers that had been guarding the building offered little resistance to the takeover, and some of them defected and supported the activists.^[39]

Territorial expansion

Demonstrations by pro-Russian activists began to spread across Luhansk Oblast towards the end of April. The municipal administration building in Pervomaisk was overrun on 29 April 2014, and the Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR) flag was raised over it.^[40][41] Oleksandr Turchynov, then acting president of Ukraine, admitted the next day that government forces were unable to stabilise the situation in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.^[42] On the same day, activists seized control of the Alchevsk municipal administration building.^[43] In Krasnyi Luch, the municipal council conceded to demands by activists to support the 11 May 2014 referendum, and followed by raising the Russian flag over the building.^[40]

Insurgents occupied the municipal council building in Stakhanov on 1 May 2014. Later in the week, they stormed the local police station, business centre, and SBU building.^[44][45] Activists in Rovenky occupied a police building there on 5 May, but quickly left.^[46] On the same day, the police headquarters in Slovianoserbsk was seized by members of the Army of the South-East, a pro-Russian Luhansk regional militia group.^[47][48] In addition, the town of Antratsyt was occupied by the Don Cossacks.^[49][50]

Some said that the occupiers came from Russia;^[51] the Cossacks themselves said that only a few people among them had come from Russia.^[52] On 7 May, insurgents also seized the prosecutor’s office in Sievierodonetsk.^[53] Luhansk People’s Republic supporters stormed government buildings in Starobilsk on 8 May, replacing the Ukrainian flag with that of the Republic.^[54] Sources within the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs said that as of 10 May 2014, the day before the proposed status referendum, Ukrainian forces still retained control over 50% of Luhansk Oblast.^[55]

Status referendum

The planned referendum on the status of Luhansk oblast was held on 11 May 2014.^[56] The organisers of the referendum said that 96.2% of those who voted were in favour of self-rule, with 3.8% against.^[57] They said that voter turnout was at 81%. There were no international observers present to validate the referendum.^[57]

Declaration of independence

Following the referendum, the head of the Republic, Valery Bolotov, said that the Republic had become an «independent state».^[58] The still-extant Luhansk Oblast Council did not support independence, but called for immediate federalisation of Ukraine, asserting that «an absolute majority of people voted for the right to make their own decisions about how to live».^[59][60] The council also requested an immediate end to Ukrainian military activity in the region, amnesty for anti-government protestors, and official status for the Russian language in Ukraine.^[60]

Valery Bolotov was wounded in an assassination attempt on 13 May.^[61] Luhansk People’s Republic authorities blamed the incident on the Ukrainian government. Government forces later captured Alexei Rilke, the commander of the Army of the South-East.^[62] The next day, Ukrainian border guards arrested Valery Bolotov. Just over two hours later, after unsuccessfully attempting negotiations, 150 to 200 armed separatists attacked the Dovzhansky checkpoint where he had been held. The ensuing firefight led Ukrainian government forces to free Bolotov.^[63]

On 24 May 2014 the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Luhansk People’s Republic jointly announced their intention to form a confederative «union of People’s Republics» called New Russia.^[64] Republic President Valery Bolotov said on 28 May that the Luhansk People’s Republic would begin to introduce its own legislation based on Russian law; he said Ukrainian law was unsuitable due to it being «written for oligarchs».^[65] Vasily Nikitin, prime minister of the Republic, announced that elections to the State Council would take place in September.^[66]

The leadership of the Luhansk People’s Republic said on 12 June 2014 that it would attempt to establish a «union state» with Russia.^[67] The government added that it would seek to boost trade with Russia through legislative, agricultural and economic changes.^[67]

Stakhanov, a city that had been occupied by LPR-affiliated Don Cossacks, seceded from the Luhansk People’s Republic on 14 September 2014.^{[68][failed verification]} Don Cossacks there proclaimed the Republic of Stakhanov, and said that a «Cossack government» now ruled in Stakhanov.^[68][69] However the following day this was claimed^{[by whom?]} to be a fabrication, and an unnamed Don Cossack leader stated the 14 September meeting had, in fact, resulted in 12,000 Cossacks volunteering to join the LPR forces.^[70] Elections to the LPR Supreme Council took place on 2 November 2014, as the LPR did not allow the Ukrainian parliamentary election to be held in territory under its control.^[71][72]

Human rights in the early stages of the war

In May 2014 the United Nations observed an «alarming deterioration» of human rights in insurgent-held territory in eastern Ukraine.^[73] The UN detailed growing lawlessness, documenting cases of targeted killings, torture, and abduction, carried out by Luhansk People’s Republic insurgents.^[74] The UN also highlighted threats, attacks, and abductions of journalists and international observers, as well as the beatings and attacks on supporters of Ukrainian unity.^[74] An 18 November 2014 United Nations report on eastern Ukraine declared that the Luhansk People’s Republic was in a state of «total breakdown of law and order».^[75]

The report noted «cases of serious human rights abuses by the armed groups continued to be reported, including torture, arbitrary and incommunicado detention, summary executions, forced labour, sexual violence, as well as the destruction and illegal seizure of property may amount to crimes against humanity».^[75] The report also stated that the insurgents violated the rights of Ukrainian-speaking children because schools in rebel-controlled areas only teach in Russian.^[75] The United Nations also accused the Ukrainian Army and Ukrainian (volunteer) territorial defence battalions of human rights abuses such as illegal detention, torture and ill-treatment, noting official denials.^[75] In a 15 December 2014 press conference in Kyiv UN Assistant Secretary-General for human rights Ivan Šimonović stated that the majority of human rights violations, including executions without trial, arrests and torture, were committed in areas controlled by pro-Russian rebels.^[76]

In November 2014, Amnesty International called the «People’s Court» (public trials where allegedly random locals are the jury) held in the Luhansk People’s Republic «an outrageous violation of the international humanitarian law».^[77]

In January 2015, the Luhansk Communist Party criticised the current situation in the region. In their statement they expressed «deep disappointment» with how the situation developed from «authentic people’s protests a year ago» to «return of corruption and banditism».^[78] In December 2015 the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine reported «Parallel ‘justice systems’ have begun operating» in territory controlled by the Luhansk People’s Republic.^[79] They criticised this judiciary to be «non-transparent, subject to constant change, seriously under-resourced and, in many instances, completely non-functional».^[79]

Static war period (2015–2022)

On 1 January 2015, forces loyal to the Luhansk People’s Republic ambushed and killed Alexander Bednov, head of a pro-Russian battalion called «Batman». Bednov was accused of murder, abduction and other abuses. An arrest warrant for Bednov and several other battalion members had been previously issued by the separatists’ prosecutor’s office.^[80][81][82]

On 12 February 2015, DPR and LPR leaders Alexander Zakharchenko and Igor Plotnitsky signed the Minsk II agreement, although without any mention of their self-proclaimed titles or the republics.^[83] In the Minsk agreement it is agreed to introducing amendments to the Ukrainian constitution «the key element of which is decentralisation» and the holding of elections «on temporary order of local self-governance in particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, based in the line set up by the Minsk Memorandum as of 19 September 2014»; in return rebel held territory would be reintegrated into Ukraine.^[83][84] Representatives of the DPR and LPR continue to forward their proposals concerning Minsk II to the Trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine.^[85] Plotnitsky told journalists on 18 February 2015: «Will we be part of Ukraine? This depends on what kind of Ukraine it will be. If it remains like it is now, we will never be together.»^[86]

On 20 May 2015, the leadership of the Federal State of Novorossiya announced the termination of the confederation ‘project’.^[87]

On 19 April 2016, planned (organised by the LPR) local elections were postponed from 24 April to 24 July 2016.^[88] On 22 July 2016, this elections was again postponed to 6 November 2016.^[89] (On 2 October 2016, the DPR and LPR held «primaries» in were voters voted to nominate candidates for participation in the 6 November 2016 elections.^[90] Ukraine denounced these «primaries» as illegal.^[90])

The «LPR Prosecutor General’s Office» announced late September 2016, that it had thwarted a coup attempt ringleaded by former LPR appointed prime minister Gennadiy Tsypkalov (who they stated had committed suicide on 23 September while in detention).^[91] Meanwhile, it had also imprisoned former LPR parliamentary speaker Aleksey Karyakin and former LPR interior minister, Igor Kornet.^[92] DPR leader Zakharchenko said he had helped to thwart the coup (stating «I had to send a battalion to solve their problems»).^[92]

On 4 February 2017, LPR defence minister Oleg Anashchenko was killed in a car bomb attack in Luhansk.^[93] Separatists claimed «Ukrainian secret services» were suspected of being behind the attack; while Ukrainian officials suggested Anashchenko’s death may be the result of an internal power struggle among rebel leaders.^[93]

Mid-March 2017 Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signed a decree on a temporary ban on the movement of goods to and from territory controlled by the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic and Donetsk People’s Republic; this also means that since then Ukraine does not buy coal from the Donets Black Coal Basin.^[94]

On 21 November 2017, armed men in unmarked uniforms took up positions in the center of Luhansk in what appeared to be a power struggle between the head of the republic Plotnitsky and the (sacked by Plotnitsky) LPR appointed interior minister Igor Kornet.^[95][96] Media reports stated that the DPR had sent armed troops to Luhansk the following night.^[95][96] Three days later the website of the separatists stated that Plotnitsky had resigned «for health reasons. Multiple war wounds, the effects of blast injuries, took their toll.»^[97] The website stated that security minister Leonid Pasechnik had been named acting leader «until the next elections.»^[97]

Plotnitsky was stated to become the separatist’s representative to the Minsk process.^[97] Plotnitsky himself did not issue a public statement on 24 November 2017.^[97] Russian media reported that Plotnitsky had fled the unrecognised republic on 23 November 2017, first travelling from Luhansk to Rostov-on-Don by car and then flying to Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport.^[98] On 25 November the 38-member separatist republic’s People’s Council unanimously approved Plotnitsky’s resignation.^[99] Pasechnik declared his adherence to the Minsk accords, claiming «The republic will be consistently executing the obligations taken under these agreements.»^[100]

In June 2019 Russia started giving Russian passports to the inhabitants of the LPR and Donetsk People’s Republic under a simplified procedure allegedly on «humanitarian grounds» (such as enabling international travel for eastern Ukrainian residents whose passports have expired).^[101] According to Ukrainian press by mid-2021 half a million Russian passports had been received by local residents.^[102] Deputy Kremlin Chief of Staff Dmitry Kozak stated in a July 2021 interview with Politique internationale that 470 thousand local residents had received a Russian passport; he added that «as soon as the situation in Donbas is resolved….The general procedure for granting citizenship will be restored.»^[103]

In early June 2020, the LPR declared Russian as the only state language on its territory, removing Ukrainian from its school curriculum.^[104] Previously the separatist leaders had made Ukrainian LPR’s second state language, but in practice it was already disappearing from school curricula prior to June 2020.^[105]

In January 2021 the Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic stated in a «Russian Donbas doctrine» that they aimed to seize all of the territories of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblast under control by the Ukrainian government «in the near future.»^[106] The document did not specifically state the intention of DPR and LPR to be annexed by Russia.^[106]

Full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine (2022–present)

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (July 2022)

On 21 February 2022, Russia recognised the independence of the DPR and LPR.^[107] The next day, the Federation Council of Russia authorised the use of military force, and Russian forces openly advanced into both territories.^[108] Russian president Vladimir Putin declared that the Minsk agreements «no longer existed», and that Ukraine, not Russia, was to blame for their collapse.^[109] A military attack into Ukrainian government-controlled territory began on the morning of 24 February,^[110] when Putin announced a «special military operation» to «demilitarise and denazify» Ukraine.^[111][112]

On May 6, as part of the eastern Ukraine offensive, the Russian Armed Forces and Luhansk People’s Republic military started a battle to capture Sievierodonetsk, the de facto administrative capital of Ukrainian-controlled Luhansk Oblast. On 25 June 2022, Sievierodonetsk was fully occupied by Russian and separatist forces. This was followed by the capture of Lysychansk on 3 July, which brought all of Luhansk Oblast under the control of Russian and separatist forces.

This resulted in a 63 day period during which the whole of Luhansk Oblast was controlled by separatist forces. However, during the 2022 Ukrainian Kharkiv counteroffensive starting on September 4, the village of Bilohorivka became contested between Ukrainian and Russian forces;^[113] on September 10, the village was confirmed to be under Ukrainian control.^[114]

Recognition and international relations

The Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR) initially sought recognition as a sovereign state following its declaration of independence in April 2014. Subsequently, the LPR willingly acceded to the Russian Federation as a Russian federal subject in September–October 2022, effectively ceasing to exist as a sovereign state in any capacity and revoking its status as such in the eyes of the international community. The LPR claims direct succession to Ukraine’s Luhansk Oblast.

From 2014 to 2022, Ukraine, the United Nations, and most of the international community regarded the LPR as an illegal entity occupying a portion of Ukraine’s Luhansk Oblast (see: International sanctions during the Russo-Ukrainian War). The Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), which had a similar backstory, was regarded in the exact same way. Crimea’s status was treated slightly differently since Russia annexed that territory immediately after its declaration of independence in March 2014.

Up until February 2022, Russia did not recognise the LPR, although it maintained informal relations with the LPR. On 21 February 2022, Russia officially recognised the LPR and the DPR at the same time,^[115] marking a major escalation in the 2021–2022 diplomatic crisis between Russia and Ukraine. Three days later, on 24 February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of the entire country of Ukraine, partially under the pretext of protecting the LPR and the DPR. The war had wide-reaching repercussions for Ukraine, Russia, and the international community as a whole (see: War crimes, Humanitarian impact, Environmental impact, Economic impact, and Ukrainian cultural heritage). In September 2022, Russia made moves to consolidate the territories that it had occupied in Ukraine, including Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts. Russia officially annexed these four territories in September–October 2022.

Between February 2022 and October 2022, in addition to receiving Russian recognition, the LPR was recognised by North Korea (13 July 2022)^[116] and Syria (29 June 2022).^[117][118] This means that three United Nations member states recognised the LPR in total throughout its period of de facto independence. The LPR was also recognised by three other breakaway entities: the DPR, South Ossetia (19 June 2014),^[119] and Abkhazia (25 February 2022).^[120]

Relations with Ukraine

The LPR has been in a state of armed conflict with Ukraine ever since the former declared independence in 2014. The Ukrainian military operation against the republic is officially called an anti-terrorist operation, although it is not considered to be a terrorist entity by the Supreme Court of Ukraine itself^[121] nor by either the EU, the US, or Russia.^{[122][123][124]}

Relations with Russia

During most of its lifetime, Russia did not recognise the LPR as a state. It nevertheless recognised official documents issued by the LPR authorities, such as identity documents, diplomas, birth and marriage certificates and vehicle registration plates.^[125] This recognition was introduced in February 2017^[125] and enabled people living in LPR-controlled territories to travel, work or study in Russia.^[125] According to the presidential decree that introduced it, the reason for the decree was «to protect human rights and freedoms» in accordance with «the widely recognised principles of international humanitarian law.»^[126] Ukrainian authorities decried the decree and claimed that it was contradictory to the Minsk II agreement, and also that it «legally recognised the quasi-state terrorist groups which cover Russia’s occupation of part of Donbas.»^[127]

On 21 February 2022, the Russian government recognised the Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics in dawn of 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. During the invasion, forces from the LPR fought together with Russian forces against Ukraine. On 3 July 2022, Russia claimed to have full control over Ukraine’s Luhansk Oblast.^[128]

Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian president and as of July 2022 vice chairman of the Russian Security Council, in July 2022 shared a map of Ukraine wherein most of Ukraine, including LPR, had been absorbed by Russia.^[129]

Government and politics

A report by the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI) stated that the official ideology of the LPR is shaped by right-wing Russian nationalism, neo-imperialism and Orthodox fundamentalism.^[11] Al Jazeera described it as neo-Stalinist and a «totalitarian, North Korea-like statelet».^[130] The LPR and DPR are sometimes described as puppet states of Russia during their periods of nominal independence.^[1][2][3]

Constitution

The People’s Council of the LPR ratified a temporary constitution on 18 May 2014.^[131] Its government styles itself as a people’s republic. The form of the Luhansk People’s Republic’s parliament is called the People’s Council and has 50 deputies.^[132] Aleksey Karyakin was elected as its first head on 18 May 2014.^[92] Its anthem is «Glory to Luhansk People’s Republic!» (Russian: Луганской Народной Республике, Слава!), also known as «Live and Shine, LPR».^[133][134]

Elections

The first parliamentary elections to the legislature of the Luhansk People’s Republic were held on 2 November 2014.^[132] People of at least 30 years old who «permanently resided in Luhansk People’s Republic the last 10 years» were electable for four years and could be nominated by public organisations.^[132] All residents of Luhansk Oblast were eligible to vote, even if they are residents of areas controlled by Ukrainian government forces or fled to Russia or other places in Ukraine as refugees.^[71]

Ukraine urged Russia to use its influence to stop the election «to avoid a frozen conflict».^[135] Russia on the other hand indicated it «will of course recognise the results of the election»; Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that the election «will be important to legitimise the authorities there».^[72] Ukraine held the 2014 Ukrainian parliamentary election on 26 October 2014; these were boycotted by the Donetsk People’s Republic and hence voting for it did not take place in Ukraine’s eastern districts controlled by forces loyal to the Luhansk People’s Republic.^[72][135]

On 6 July 2015 the Luhansk People’s Republic leader (LPR) Igor Plotnitsky set elections for «mayors and regional heads» for 1 November 2015 in territory under his control.^{[citation needed]} (Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) leader Alexander Zakharchenko issued a decree on 2 July 2015 that ordered local DPR elections to be held on 18 October 2015. He said that this action was «in accordance with the Minsk agreements».^[136]) On 6 October 2015 the DPR and LPR leadership postponed their planned elections to 21 February 2016.^[137]

This happened 4 days after a Normandy four meeting in which it was agreed that the October 2015 Ukrainian local elections in LPR and DPR controlled territories would be held in accordance to the February 2015 Minsk II agreement.^[138] At the meeting President of France François Hollande stated that in order to hold these elections (in LPR and DPR controlled territories) it was necessary «since we need three months to organize elections» to hold these elections in 2016.^[138] Also during the meeting it is believed that Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to use his influence to not allow the DPR and Luhansk People’s Republic election to take place on 18 October 2015 and 1 November 2015.^[138] On 4 November 2016 both DPR and LPR postponed their local elections, they had set for 6 November 2016, «until further notice».^{[citation needed]}

Additional elections took place simultaneously in Donetsk and Luhansk republics on 11 November 2018. The official position of the U.S. and European union is that this vote is illegitimate because it was not controlled by the Ukrainian government, and that it was contrary to the 2015 Minsk agreement. Leonid Pasechnik, the head of the Luhansk People’s Republic, disagreed and said that the vote was in accordance with the Minsk Agreement. The separatist leaders said that the election was a key step toward establishing full-fledged democracy in the regions. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said that residents of eastern Ukraine should not to participate in the vote. Nevertheless, both regions reported voter turnout of more than 70 per cent as of two hours before the polls closed at 8 p.m. local time.^{[139][140][141]}

Public opposition in the LPR is virtually non-existent.^[17]

Military

The People’s Militia of the LPR (Russian: Народная милиция ЛНР) comprise the Russian separatist forces in the LPR.^{[142][143][144]} On 7 October 2014, by decree Igor Plotnitsky, the People’s Militia was created, with Oleg Bugrov serving as Minister of Defense and the Commander-in-Chief of the People’s Militia.^[145][146] It has been reported that it is under the control 2nd Army Corps, which is subordinated to the specially created 12th Reserve Command of the Southern Military District of the Russian Armed Forces at its headquarters in the city of Novocherkassk, Rostov Oblast.^[147][148] By 2016 Russian officers commanded the LPR units from the battalion level up. The former commanders, some of whom retained substantial personal security forces, sometimes acted as deputy commanders.^[149]

Administrative divisions

In 2020, Luhansk Oblast conducted an administrative reform, reducing its 32 regions to eight districts. The LPR uses the oblast’s old administrative divisions on its controlled territory. See List of raions of Ukraine (1966-2020) § XII. Luhansk Oblast.

Human rights

Freedom House evaluates the eastern Donbas territories controlled by the LPR and DPR as «not free», scoring 4 out of 100 in its 2022 Freedom in the World index.^[150] Concerns include strict control over politics by the security services, allowing no meaningful opposition, and harsh restrictions on local media. Pro-Ukrainian bloggers and journalists have been given long prison sentences, and people have been arrested for critical posts on social media. Freedom House also reported that there was a «prevailing hostility» to the Ukrainian ethnic identity and an «intensifying campaign» against the Ukrainian language and identity.

According to Freedom House, basic due process guarantees are not followed and arbitrary arrests and detentions are common. A 2020 UN report said that interviews with released prisoners «confirmed patterns of torture and ill-treatment». Abuse, including torture and sexual violence, has been widely reported to occur in separatist prisons and detention centers.^[150]

A 2022 report by Al Jazeera said that «the ‘republics’ are understood to have evolved into totalitarian, North Korea-like statelets», and that reportedly thousands have been tortured and abused in «cellars» under the separatist authorities.^[151]

Economy

As of May 2015, pensions started being paid in mostly Russian rubles by the Luhansk People’s Republic. 85% were in rubles, 12% in hryvnias, and 3% in dollars according to LPR Head Igor Plotnitsky.^[152] Ukraine completely stopped paying pensions for the elderly and disabled in areas under DPR and LPR control on 1 December 2014.^[153]

Sports and culture

The football team of the Luhansk People’s republic is ranked sixteenth in the Confederation of Independent Football Associations world ranking.^[154] A football match between LPR and DPR was played on 8 August 2015 at the Metalurh Stadium in Donetsk.^[155]

See also

• List of states with limited recognition
• Malaysia Airlines Flight 17
• Russian occupation of Luhansk Oblast

Notes

References

External links

• Official website of the Council of Ministers of LPR (in Russian)^{[dead link]}
• Lugansk Media Centre

Другие языки

Поддержка инструмент перевода: Клингонский (pIqaD), Определить язык, азербайджанский, албанский, амхарский, английский, арабский, армянский, африкаанс, баскский, белорусский, бенгальский, бирманский, болгарский, боснийский, валлийский, венгерский, вьетнамский, гавайский, галисийский, греческий, грузинский, гуджарати, датский, зулу, иврит, игбо, идиш, индонезийский, ирландский, исландский, испанский, итальянский, йоруба, казахский, каннада, каталанский, киргизский, китайский, китайский традиционный, корейский, корсиканский, креольский (Гаити), курманджи, кхмерский, кхоса, лаосский, латинский, латышский, литовский, люксембургский, македонский, малагасийский, малайский, малаялам, мальтийский, маори, маратхи, монгольский, немецкий, непальский, нидерландский, норвежский, ория, панджаби, персидский, польский, португальский, пушту, руанда, румынский, русский, самоанский, себуанский, сербский, сесото, сингальский, синдхи, словацкий, словенский, сомалийский, суахили, суданский, таджикский, тайский, тамильский, татарский, телугу, турецкий, туркменский, узбекский, уйгурский, украинский, урду, филиппинский, финский, французский, фризский, хауса, хинди, хмонг, хорватский, чева, чешский, шведский, шона, шотландский (гэльский), эсперанто, эстонский, яванский, японский, Язык перевода.

Непризнанное государство
Луганская Народная Республика
укр. Луганська Народна Республіка
Флаг Герб
Гимн: «Государственный гимн Луганской Народной Республики»
Заявленная (светло-зелёный и тёмно-зелёный) и контролируемая территория (тёмно-зелёный) ЛНР
Основано	27 апреля 2014 года[1][2]
Провозглашение независимости	12 мая 2014 года (от Украины)
Дипломатическое признание	Частично признанные:  Южная Осетия Непризнанные:  ДНР
Официальные языки	русский, украинский[3]
Столица	Луганск
Крупнейшие города	Луганск, Красный Луч, Алчевск, Краснодон, Свердловск, Стаханов
Форма правления	президентская республика
Глава	Леонид Пасечник
Председатель Совета Министров	Сергей Козлов
Председатель Народного Совета	Денис Мирошниченко
Население
• Оценка (01.01.2020 г.)	1 460 000[4] чел.
Валюта	российский рубль
Часовой пояс	UTC+3

Луга́нская Наро́дная Респу́блика^{[комм. 1]} (сокр. ЛНР; укр. Луганська Народна Республіка) — непризнанное государство^[5] в восточной Европе. Наряду с ДНР, является одной из непризнанных политий на территории Донбасса.

Луганская Народная Республика была провозглашена в пределах территории Луганской области Украины 27 апреля 2014 года, в ходе массовых протестов против нового руководства страны, пришедшего к власти в результате Евромайдана. 12 мая, после состоявшегося днём ранее референдума о самоопределении Луганской Народной Республики, по объявленным организаторами итогам которого 96,2 % проголосовавших высказались за независимость региона и создание Луганской Народной Республики^[6], власти ЛНР объявили независимость и выразили желание вступить в состав России, а также подписали договор с Донецкой Народной Республикой о создании Новороссии^[7] (через год союз был заморожен ради реализации Минских соглашений). 11 июня 2014 года ЛНР обратилась к Российской Федерации, а также к 14 другим государствам, с просьбой о признании её независимости^[8].

К настоящему моменту независимость Луганской Народной Республики признана частично признанным государством Южная Осетия^{[9][10][11][12][13]}.

Согласно Конституции Украины, территория, на которую претендует ЛНР, является неотъемлемой частью Украины. Бо́льшая часть заявленной территории ЛНР контролируется украинскими властями; остальная часть территории ЛНР, неподконтрольная украинским властям, согласно закону „Об обеспечении прав и свобод граждан и правовом режиме на временно оккупированной территории Украины“ считается украинскими властями территорией, временно оккупированной российскими вооружёнными силами, а структуры ЛНР рассматриваются Украиной как „российская оккупационная администрация“. В свою очередь, в период начала вооружённого конфликта депутаты областного совета Луганской области заявили, что следует уважать волю граждан, которые высказались на референдуме ЛНР^[14], а председатель облсовета охарактеризовал силовую операцию правительства Украины как террористическую и направленную против народа^[15][16], Россия же отвергает обвинения в своём участии в вооружённом конфликте в Донбассе в целом^[17] и оккупации украинских территорий в частности^[18].

История

С марта 2014 года в Луганске стали проходить акции протеста против действий бывшей оппозиции, пришедшей к руководству страной. Протестующие отказывались признавать новые киевские власти и выступали за федерализацию Украины.

30 марта в Луганске в центре города состоялся масштабный митинг, где собралось (по данным УНИАН) около 2 тысяч человек. Участники акции с флагами Российской Федерации, плакатами „Украина — это Русь“, „Европа — это Содом и Гоморра“, „Русский язык — государственный“ по пути следования скандировали „Луганск, вставай!“, „Россия!“, „Украина — это Русь“. Активисты пришли из разных точек города, по словам организаторов, это дает реальное представление о количестве приверженцев идеи федерализации страны и присоединения Украины к России в Луганске. Митингующие также потребовали от депутатов всех уровней признать незаконными новую украинскую власть и губернатора Луганской области, выступили против понижения социальных стандартов, потребовали освобождения Арсена Клинчаева и Александра Харитонова^[19][20].

6 апреля 2014 года около 1000 митингующих штурмом взяли здание СБУ в городе Луганске. На следующий день активисты заблокировали баррикадами из строительного мусора, автомобильных покрышек и колючей проволоки улицу Советскую перед захваченным накануне здание Луганского УСБУ. Милиция города была приведена в боевую готовность, ГАИ перекрыла проезды в центр города. В самом захваченном здании УСБУ разместился Объединённый штаб Юго-Восточного сопротивления^[21]. Активисты потребовали от украинской власти освобождения всех политических заключённых, в том числе лидера «Луганской гвардии» Александра Харитонова и депутата облсовета Арсена Клинчаева, амнистии всех силовиков, задействованных в событиях на Майдане, а также проведения в Луганской области референдума по самоопределению региона^[22]. Также было заявлено, что в случае невыполнения властями этих требований будет создан Парламент Луганской Народной Республики^[23][24].

11 апреля Объединённый штаб Армии Юго-Востока выдвинул ультиматум Луганскому областному совету. В течение ближайших 10 часов собрать экстренную (внеочередную) сессию, на которой депутаты обязаны принять следующие решения: провозгласить государственный суверенитет Луганской Народной Республики; в течение 10 дней провести референдум с двумя вопросами: 1. Вы «за» вхождение Луганской Народной Республики в состав Российской Федерации? 2. Вы «за» вхождение Луганской Народной Республики в состав Украины?. Также штабом Армии Юго-Востока принято решение о том, что оружие будет сдано только тем властям, которых выберут граждане Луганской области на референдуме^[25].

14 апреля повстанцы-активисты провели митинг у здания Луганской ОГА. Член координационного совета Луганской области Алексей Чмуленко передал губернатору области требования митингующих: признать нелегитимность новых украинских властей, признать законным существование «народного движения» и освободить арестованных активистов. Срок исполнения ультиматума до 16 апреля^[26]. По данным СМИ, в СБУ осталось около сотни повстанцев^[27].

21 апреля на народном сходе народным губернатором края был избран Валерий Болотов^[28].

24 апреля в Луганск приехала Юлия Тимошенко для ведения переговоров с захватчиками здания СБУ^[29]. Также переговоры с повстанцами-активистами вёл городской голова Сергей Кравченко^[30].

27 апреля в Луганске была провозглашена Луганская Народная Республика^[31][32][33].

29 апреля сторонники ЛНР (около 2000—2500 человек) захватили здание обладминистрации^[34] и прокуратуры^[35]. Сотрудникам правоохранительных органов был предоставлен живой коридор и они добровольно покинули захваченное активистами здание. Милиционеры надели георгиевские ленты и перешли на сторону митингующих^[36]. После переговоров с активистами начальник областного управления МВД написал рапорт об отставке^[37].

Референдум о самоопределении ЛНР с вопросом «Поддерживаете ли Вы акт государственной самостоятельности Луганской Народной Республики?» состоялся в воскресенье, 11 мая 2014 года^[38]. По данным организаторов референдума, явка составила 75 %, высказались «за» 96,2 % и «против» 3,8 % голосовавших. Согласно заявлению и. о. президента Украины Александра Турчинова, в референдуме приняли участие около 24 % избирателей области^[39].

12 мая 2014 года власти Луганской Народной Республики на основании волеизъявления провозгласили её независимость от Украины^[40].

24 мая 2014 года Донецкая и Луганская Народные Республики подписали документ об образовании Новороссии^[41].

Главными претендентами на власть в ЛНР были донские казаки, чьи отряды подчинялись атаману Николаю Козицыну. Он ещё в 1990-х возглавил одно из объединений казачьих организаций в России и отстаивал идею создания казацкого государства на его исторических землях — от Луганска до Волгограда. Контролируя большую часть территории ЛНР, казаки не признавали власть ещё не избранного Главы ЛНР Плотницкого. В октябре 2014 года под контролем официальных властей ЛНР было только несколько городов. Власти контролировали Луганск, которым руководил Манолис Пилавов, Лутугино, которым руководил гражданин России Егор Русский, и Славяносербск. Остальные территории были под казачеством и руководители городов были назначены Козицыным, а также кое-где даже сформированы налоговые органы казаков. Ещё ряд городов были под контролем полевых командиров не подчинявшимся Плотницкому. В декабре 2014 года Плотницкий начал открытую борьбу с силами Козицына и другими полевыми командирами. В ЛНР начались зачистки и аресты нелояльных полевых командиров. 1 января 2015 года был убит Александр Беднов (Бэтмен), 23 января — Евгений Ищенко (Малыш), 23 мая — Алексей Мозговой, 12 декабря — Павел Дрёмов. Война властей ЛНР с казаками закончилась поражением последних. Часть казаков перешла в состав народной милиции ЛНР, часть вместе с атаманом Козицыным покинула Донбасс. Весной 2015 года отряды ЛНР установили контроль над городом Антрацитом, неофициальной столицей казаков^[42].

В 2016 году в ЛНР была проведена чистка во властных кругах. Толчком к ней послужило неудачное покушение на Игоря Плотницкого в августе 2016 года^[43]. В марте 2016 года непризнанную республику покинул бывший спикер её парламента Алексей Карякин, который в октябре того же года сообщил, что сотрудники Генеральной прокуратуры ЛНР «зачищают тех, кто с оружием в руках отстаивал республику»^[44]. Чистка усилилась после того, как в сентябре 2016 года Игорь Плотницкий заявил о попытке государственного переворота. В сентябре 2016 года были арестованы несколько руководителей ЛНР (в том числе бывший премьер-министр Геннадий Цыпкалов, который повесился в камере заключения)^[45].

Политический кризис (2017)

21 октября 2017 года депутат Народного совета ЛНР Владимир Санкин обвинил министра МВД Игоря Корнета в присвоении чужого дома: «Летом 2014 года многие жители Луганска, в связи с боевыми действиями, были вынуждены покинуть своё жилище. Возвратившись домой некоторые владельцы сталкивались с такой проблемой, что их жильё было занято неизвестными лицами. Так, жительница города Луганска Квирцова Нина Васильевна выяснила, что в её доме проживаете вы — министр внутренних дел»^[46][47][48]. 9 ноября глава МВД ЛНР был выселен из чужого дома, который он занимал три года^[49]. 20 ноября Игорь Корнет был отстранён от должности главы МВД ЛНР по решению суда Ленинского района^[50]. 21 ноября на улицах города Луганска появилась военная техника, вооружённые люди без знаков различия с белыми повязками и бойцы спецподразделения «Беркут». По сообщениям, они взяли под контроль весь центр города, здание министерства внутренних дел и ГТРК ЛНР^[51]. Игорь Корнет сделал заявление, что председатель телерадиокомпании Анастасия Шуркаева, руководитель администрации Плотницкого Ирина Тейцман и начальник службы правительственной безопасности Евгений Селивёрстов сотрудничали с украинскими спецслужбами^[52]. Позже Игорь Плотницкий заявил, что оснований для их ареста нет, а следствие ведётся в отношении других лиц^[53]. По словам Игоря Корнета Селивёрстов в 2016 году готовился к убийству председателя Совета министров Геннадия Цыпкалова^[54][55][56].

Представители СММ ОБСЕ заявили, что возле здания МВД находится военная техника и вооружённые люди, а также были зафиксированы на автомобильной дороге возле Дебальцева не менее шести военных грузовиков, двух бронетранспортёров, одной зенитной установки (ЗУ-23) и более 20 гражданских автомобилей без номерных знаков с 50 вооружёнными людьми. По предположениям представителей СММ ОБСЕ эта колонна была вскоре обнаружена возле села Весёлая Тарасовка, которое находится в 15 км на запад от Луганска^[57].

22 ноября силами МВД было захвачено здание генеральной прокуратуры. Были арестованы все сотрудники, среди них был глава генеральной прокуратуры Виталий Подобрый^[58]. Также было опубликовано видеообращение от имени Дмитрия Пиндюрина, командира батальона «Брянка СССР», Александру Захарченко с просьбой взять под своё руководство Луганскую Народную Республику для создания единого государства Новороссии^[59].

22 ноября журналист Алексей Чибисов сообщил, что появились жертвы среди местного населения — силы МВД открыли огонь по автомобилю скорой медицинской помощи^[60].

23 ноября, по словам писателя Захара Прилепина, Игорь Плотницкий прибыл в Москву авиарейсом из Ростова-на-Дону^[61]. На видеохостинге Youtube появилось видео, где Плотницкий был замечен вечером 23 ноября в аэропорту Москвы без охраны и сопровождающих лиц^[62][63].

24 ноября 2017 года, по словам министра государственной безопасности Леонида Пасечника, Игорь Плотницкий подал в отставку с должности главы республики по состоянию здоровья. Плотницкий был назначен уполномоченным от Луганской Народной Республики по исполнению минских соглашений. На должность исполняющего обязанности главы ЛНР был назначен Леонид Пасечник^[64][65][66].

25 ноября 2017 года отставка Игоря Плотницкого была принята Народным советом ЛНР. Леонид Пасечник был единогласно утверждён в должности главы Луганской Народной Республики^[67].

Государственное устройство

ЛНР — унитарная республика президентского типа (глава государства, избираемый прямым голосованием, является одновременно главой исполнительной власти). Основным законом государства является конституция, принятая 18 мая 2014 года^[68].

Основные институты государственности Луганской Народной Республики находятся в процессе формирования.

По конституции главой государства и руководителем исполнительной ветви власти является глава Луганской Народной Республики^[69], в настоящее время — Игорь Плотницкий. При этом согласно ч. 1 ст. 75 Конституции ЛНР существует отдельная должность главы исполнительной власти — Председатель Совета Министров^[70], сохранившаяся со времён, когда глава ЛНР ещё не был всенародно избран. Эту должность ранее занимали главы ЛНР Валерий Болотов и Игорь Плотницкий. До 26 декабря 2015 года премьер-министр ЛНР — Геннадий Цыпкалов^[71]. 26 декабря 2015 года Народный Совет ЛНР утвердил в должности председателя Совмина генерал-майора Народной милиции ЛНР Сергея Козлова^[72].

По основному закону ЛНР — конституции, вторым лицом республики является Председатель Народного Совета ЛНР. Перым спикером парламента первого созыва 18 мая 2014 года избран Алексей Карякин^[73][74]. В ноябре 2014 года после проведенных выборов Главы ЛНР и депутатов Народного совета ЛНР, выбран спикером парламента второго созыва. 25 марта 2016 года Народный совет ЛНР освободил Карякина от должности председателя по представлению депутатов^[75]. С 1 апреля 2016 года по 21 декабря 2017 года Председателем Народного Совета Луганской Народной Республики избран Владимир Дегтяренко^[76][77]. 21 декабря 2017 года председателем Народного Совета ЛНР был избран Денис Мирошниченко. За него проголосовало 32 из 33 присутствующих депутатов (сам Мирошниченко при голосовании воздержался)^[78].

Глава ЛНР избирается сроком на пять лет тайным голосованием на всеобщих прямых выборах, один и тот же человек не может занимать этот пост более двух сроков подряд. Глава ЛНР назначает Председателя Совета Министров и его заместителей, по представлению Председателя Совета Министров назначает министров и руководителей иных органов исполнительной власти. В правительство входят министры (возглавляют министерства) и главы ведомств, не имеющие министерской должности, но официально приравниваемые к министрам по статусу. Количественный состав и структура правительства не регламентированы законодательно и определяются главой республики.

Государственная символика

У Луганской Народной Республики есть 3 государственных символа — флаг, герб и гимн.

30 октября 2014 года был утверждён герб ЛНР. По своей стилистике герб народной республики напоминает гербы союзных республик СССР, однако без серпа и молота. Венчает конструкцию восьмиконечная звезда, которая у некоторых народов используется как знак возрождения и путеводности, символ славы и света^[79].

26 ноября 2014 года был утверждён флаг Луганской Народной Республики. Голубой цвет флага символизирует небесную чистоту и непорочность Богородицы, синий цвет — упорство и постоянство, а красный — могущество и стремление к победе. Два нижних цвета флага (синий и красный) перекликаются с цветами флага РФ^[80].

29 апреля 2016 года был утверждён гимн ЛНР. Музыка была сочинена композитором Георгием Галиным. Слова были написаны поэтом Владимиром Михайловым^[81].

Политические партии и общественные организации

В ЛНР никогда не было зарегистрированных политических партий^[82][83]. Зато имеются общественные организации Мир Луганщине и Луганский экономический союз, которые по словам представителя соседней ДНР Эдуарда Попова являются политическими партиями^[84]. Все члены Народного Совета ЛНР (по состоянию на 2016 год) являются представителями этих двух организаций. Несмотря на отсутствие политических партий 2 октября 2016 года в ЛНР были проведены праймериз, на которых проголосовало более 61 тыс. человек^[85]. Число жителей, проголосовавших в ЛНР, оказалось меньшим, чем в ДНР^[85]. На самих праймериз шёл отбор претендентов не в депутаты республиканского парламента, а в органы местного самоуправления Луганска, Александровска и посёлка Юбилейный^[85]. В итоге победили кандидаты от «Мира Луганщине»^[86].

В республике существует заметное коммунистическое движение, которое не пользуется симпатиями со стороны властей^[83]. В 2015 году в ЛНР была создана организация «Союз коммунистов Луганщины»^[82]. В 2016 году создана Коммунистическая партия Луганской Народной Республики^[87].

Вооружённые силы

Вооружённые силы играют исключительно большую роль в жизни ЛНР. Вооружённые силы Луганской Народной Республики носят официальное название «Народная милиция». Подразделяются на отдельные бригады. Верховным главнокомандующим вооружёнными силами является глава республики.

Административно-территориальное деление

В Луганской Народной Республике существуют следующие административно-территориальные единицы.

Городские советы республиканского подчинения:

• Луганский городской совет
• Алчевский городской совет
• Антрацитовский городской совет
• Брянковский городской совет
• Кировский городской совет
• Краснодонский городской совет
• Краснолучский городской совет
• Первомайский городской совет
• Ровеньковский городской совет
• Свердловский городской совет
• Стахановский городской совет

Районы:

• Антрацитовский район
• Краснодонский район
• Лутугинский район
• Перевальский район
• Свердловский район
• Славяносербский район

В марте 2015 года были созданы 14 администраций.

Администрации городов:

• Администрация города Луганска
• Администрация города Алчевска
• Администрация города Брянки
• Администрация города Кировска
• Администрация города Красного Луча
• Администрация города Первомайска
• Администрация города Ровеньков
• Администрация города Стаханова

Администрации районов:

• Администрация Лутугинского района
• Администрация Перевальского района
• Администрация Славяносербского района

Администрации городов и районов (объединённые):

• Администрация города Краснодона и Краснодонского района
• Администрация города Антрацита и Антрацитовского района
• Администрация города Свердловска и Свердловского района

Население

Численность населения ЛНР^[88] и её административных единиц по данным ГКС ЛНР по состоянию на 1 декабря 2017 года^[89].

Горсовет/Район	Наличное население	Постоянное население
Луганск (горсовет)	435766	432066
Алчевск (горсовет)	106357	105875
Антрацит (горсовет)	74581	74160
Брянка (горсовет)	50906	51058
Кировск (горсовет)	32114	32079
Краснодон (горсовет)	99365	98982
Красный Луч (горсовет)	117821	117965
Первомайск (горсовет)	37061	37116
Ровеньки (горсовет)	80609	80488
Свердловск (горсовет)	94703	94788
Стаханов (горсовет)	87348	87618
Антрацитовский район	29342	29837
Краснодонский район	28370	28378
Лутугинский район	64373	64592
Перевальский район	67727	67003
Попаснянский район[90]	5443	5474
Свердловский район	11432	11089
Славяносербский район	48057	47762
Станично-Луганский район[91]	2685	2767
всего ЛНР	1474060	1469097

В этой таблице приведены цифры на 1 декабря 2017 года^[88], но названия административных единиц городов и районов приведены не точно, так как реестры избирателей составлены по старым базам с предыдущими территориальными единицами. Так, Краснодон, Антрацит, Свердловск в таблице приведенной выше отдельно от своих районов, хотя в действительности объединены воедино. Административных единиц Попаснянский и Станично-Луганский районов официально нет, они не зарегистрированы органами юстиции и не сформированы на территории республики. Населенные пункты этих районов находящиеся под контролем ЛНР переданы в управление администрациям города Луганска и Краснодона.

Численность постоянного населения^[92][93].

	1.01.2015	1.07.2015	1.01.2016	1.07.2016	1.01.2017
Население	1 510 022	1 496 946	1 499 013	1 490 845	1 483 264

Численность населения по Луганской Народной Республике на 1 июня 2016 года (человек)^[94]

	Наличное население	Постоянное население
Луганская Народная Республика	1502143	1497170
Городские поселения	1404931	1399449
Сельская местность	97212	97721
Луганск (горсовет)	440982	437282
г. Алчевск	107984	107502
Антрацит (горсовет)	75895	75474
Брянка (горсовет)	51813	51965
Кировск (горсовет)	32725	32690
Краснодон (горсовет)	101076	100693
Красный Луч (горсовет)	120135	120279
г. Первомайск	37606	37661
Ровеньки (горсовет)	81792	81671
Свердловск (горсовет)	96074	96159
Стаханов (горсовет)	89117	89387
районы
Антрацитовский	29825	30320
Краснодонский	28797	28805
Лутугинский	65470	65689
Перевальский	69116	68392
Попаснянский	5927	5960
Свердловский	11610	11267
Славяносербский	53465	53158
Станично-Луганский	2734	2816

В первом квартале 2016 года в ЛНР родилось 1667 детей, что на 351 ребёнка больше аналогичного периода 2015 года^[95].

Языки

В ЛНР согласно Конституции два государственных языка: русский и украинский. При этом официальным языком делопроизводства во всех органах государственной власти и органах местного самоуправления в республике является только русский^[96]. В ЛНР отдаётся приоритет русскому языку^[97], в частности было объявлено о переводе всех дорожных знаков на территории республики на русский язык^[98]. В сфере образования преобладает русский язык^[99]. При этом украинский язык продолжает оставаться в образовательных программах^[100], а также используется в деятельности государственных органов^[101].

Паспорта и визы

26 марта 2015 года было утверждено «Положение о паспортном документе, удостоверяющем личность физического лица, проживающего на территории Луганской Народной Республики»^[102].

С мая 2015 года началась выдача паспортов граждан ЛНР лицам, зарегистрированным по месту жительства на территории республики^[103]. 5 мая первые десять жителей республики, достигшие 16-летнего возраста, в торжественной обстановке получили паспорта ЛНР^[104].

Не позднее осени 2015 года российские пограничники в пунктах пропуска на совместной с ЛНР границе стали пропускать в Россию и назад обладателей паспортов ЛНР, оговаривая, что таким лицам нельзя выезжать за пределы Ростовской области России. Поскольку штампы на границе между Россией и ЛНР не ставятся ни луганскими, ни российскими пограничниками ни в какие паспорта, документальные свидетельства пропуска через границу как граждан ЛНР, так россиян и граждан третьих стран отсутствуют. Гражданам третьих стран российские пограничники ставят штампы только в миграционную карту, но не в паспорт.

2 августа 2016 года правительством ЛНР было принято постановление «Об утверждении Положения о паспортном документе, удостоверяющем личность физического лица, проживающего на территории Луганской Народной Республики»^[105].

18 февраля 2017 года паспорта ЛНР были признаны Россией^[106].

13 июня 2017 года Совет министров ЛНР принял постановление, которым расширил перечень категорий лиц, имеющих право на получение паспорта Луганской Народной Республики^[107].

Власти ЛНР не вводили визовый режим для контролируемой ими территории для граждан других стран. Регистрация иностранцев время от времени обсуждается властями ЛНР, но законодательно она так и не введена. Если иностранец, въехавший в Россию по однократной российской визе, выезжает на территорию ЛНР, для обратного возвращения ему требуется новая российская виза.

24 апреля 2019 года президент России Владимир Путин подписал «Указ об определении в гуманитарных целях категорий лиц, имеющих право обратиться с заявлениями о приёме в гражданство России в упрощённом порядке», который определяет упрощённое получение российских паспортов жителями отдельных районов Донецкой и Луганской областей Украины^[108].

В начале мая упрощённый порядок выдачи российских документов жителям непризнанных республик Донбасса начал действовать. В Донецке и Луганске официально открылись центры приёма документов, а в Ростовской области — центры выдачи, куда новые граждане России будут приезжать за готовыми паспортами. Пункты выдачи паспортов РФ открыты в Новошахтинске (для жителей ЛНР) и в селе Покровском Неклиновского района Ростовской области (для жителей ДНР). Для получения российского гражданства нет необходимости отказываться от украинского. Приём заявлений осуществляется через уполномоченных лиц ДНР и ЛНР. Предположительный срок рассмотрения заявления — до трёх месяцев. При положительном решении о приобретении гражданства паспорта гражданина РФ будут выдаваться в Ростовской области^[109][110].

Международно-правовой статус

Украинскими властями Луганская Народная Республика рассматривается как оккупированная Российской Федерацией часть территории Луганской области^[111].

27 июня 2014 года частично признанное государство Южная Осетия признало ЛНР независимым государством^[12]. 28 января 2015 года последовало ответное признание^[112].

Российской Федерацией государственность и независимость ЛНР не признана.

18 февраля 2017 года Президент Российской Федерации Владимир Путин издал «Указ о признании документов, выданных гражданам Украины и лицам без гражданства, проживающим на территориях отдельных районов Донецкой и Луганской областей Украины». Указом было подтверждено признание на российской территории документов, выданных «органами, фактически действующими на территории отдельных районов Донецкой и Луганской областей». Согласно Указу, данные документы признаются действующими до «политического урегулирования ситуации в отдельных районах Донецкой и Луганской областях»^[106]. Из указа следует, что речь идёт о признании не только паспортов, но и других документов, включая свидетельства о рождении, документы об образовании, заключении или расторжении брака, перемене имени, о регистрации транспортных средств, а также регистрационные знаки транспортных средств, фактически действующих на указанных территориях^[113]. Глава МИД России Сергей Лавров прокомментировал, что шаг не означает какого-либо изменения позиции в отношении непризнанных Донецкой и Луганской Народных Республик^[114], и позднее также подтвердил, что РФ не будет признавать ДНР и ЛНР, поскольку в этом случае Россия «потеряет всю остальную Украину»^[115].

Физико-географическая характеристика

Луганская область, в пределах которой провозглашена Луганская Народная Республика, на востоке и юге граничит с Белгородской, Воронежской и Ростовской областями России, на западе, юго-западе и севере — с Донецкой (включая территорию ДНР) и Харьковской областями Украины^{[комм. 2]}. Северная часть Луганской области, заявленная ЛНР как её территория, контролируется Украиной. Выхода к морю ЛНР не имеет.

ЛНР расположена на юге Восточно-Европейской равнины. Поверхность республики представляет собой волнистую равнину, расчленённую речными долинами. На территории ЛНР частично располагается Донецкий кряж. Средняя высота поверхности равняется 200—300 м на уровнем моря. Наивысшая точка ЛНР (и всего Донбасса) — возвышенность Могила Мечетная (367,1 м над уровнем моря), которая расположена в окрестностях города Петровского.

Климат умеренно континентальный. Зима сравнительно холодная, с резкими восточными и юго-восточными ветрами, заморозками. Лето знойное, вторая его половина заметно сухая. Осень солнечная, теплая, сухая. Осадков за год 400—500 мм.

Экономика

12 июня 2014 года на официальном сайте ЛНР были опубликованы тезисы политической программы руководства самопровозглашённой республики, некоторые из которых касались её экономического устройства^[116].

Правительство ЛНР решило ввести параллельное хождение наряду с украинской гривной российского рубля, а также создать Национальный банк. Решено начать национализацию собственности украинского государства и предприятий, чьи владельцы отказались перейти под юрисдикцию Луганской Народной Республики. В свою очередь организации, добровольно перешедшие под юрисдикцию данного государственного образования, получат налоговые льготы и льготные кредиты^[116].

Также было объявлено о планах в период с июня по август 2014 года отменить решение украинских властей о повышении цен на бензин, газ и услуги ЖКХ^[116]

С июля на территории ЛНР не работают банковские учреждения, причиной стали серии ограблений и убийств инкассаторов^[117].

Почти все крупные промышленные предприятия на этой территории остановлены. Вместе с тем, ещё с октября 2014 года российские предприниматели участвуют в операциях по экспорту угля из шахт ЛНР, перевозки фиксировались наблюдателями ОБСЕ на пропускных пунктах «Гуково» и «Донецк» (Ростовская область)^[118].

30 августа руководитель ЛНР Игорь Плотницкий заявил, что национализации должны подвергнуться предприятия в сфере газо- и водоснабжения^[119].

18 февраля 2015 года «Нафтогаз Украины» прекратил поставки газа в Донбасс, мотивируя это «многочисленными повреждениями газотранспортной инфраструктуры, вызванными обстрелами и подрывами на территории боевых действий». Российское руководство поручило «Газпрому» и Минэнерго подготовить предложения по поставкам газа на восток Украины в качестве гуманитарной помощи, и такие поставки были организованы практически немедленно, через газоизмерительные станции «Прохоровка» и «Платово», расположенные на границе Ростовской области (Россия) и Луганской и Донецкой областями^[120][121]. После возобновления поставок газа в Донбасс через украинскую газотранспортную систему Украина отказалась оплачивать газ, поставленный через газоизмерительные станции «Прохоровка» и «Платово»^[122][123]. После этого российская монополия по сути бесплатно снабжает регион, с февраля по июль поставив около 750 млн кубометров газа ($230 млн.^[124]). Как отмечал в декабре 2016 года глава Нафтогаза Андрей Кобелев, российская компания пытается нам выставлять разные счета на большую сумму денег^[125].

Единственный источник электричества в ЛНР — идущая из России высоковольтная линия 500 кВ «Победа-Шахты», по которой республика получает 600 МВт электроэнергии. Поставки электроэнергии на Украину идут по договору между российской «Интер РАО» и «Укринтерэнерго» от декабря 2014 года^[118]. В апреле 2015 года «Укрэнерго» прекратило учитывать поставки по пяти трансграничным ЛЭП, по которым российская электроэнергия не уходила дальше ЛНР и ДНР. В июле РФ согласилась не учитывать поставляемую электроэнергию ДНР и ЛНР как экспорт на Украину. Кто будет оплачивать продолжающиеся поставки электроэнергии — неизвестно^[124]. С апреля 2017 года стало известно о решении обеспечить бесперебойные поставки электричества из РФ в ЛНР^[126][127].

Луганская народная республика (также как и ДНР) после 2014 года стала в значительной мере зависеть от поставок российского продовольствия, в частности, мяса. Об этом говорят следующие данные — в 2015 году власти Украины запретили поставки на свою территорию мяса и пива из России^[128]. Однако за 2016 год на Украину по официальным российским данным поступило из России 47,9 тыс. тонн мяса и 38,5 млн дал пива^[128]. Основная часть этих поставок пришлась на ДНР и ЛНР^[128].

В ЛНР в зависимости от вида деятельности размер налога составляет от 3 до 8 % оборота. Предприниматели, которые торгуют продуктами питания, обязаны ежемесячно платить 600 грн, для продажи непродовольственных товаров и оказания услуг — 300 грн в месяц^[118].

В республике применяется украинские классификаторы (в том числе видов экономической деятельности)^[129] и российские общероссийские классификаторы (в том числе валют, стран).

Транспорт, инфраструктура, связь

В ходе вооружённого конфликта 2014—2015 годов железнодорожная инфраструктура была значительно повреждена, грузовое и пассажирское сообщение были прекращены. 28 марта 2015 года было сообщено о пуске пассажирского сообщения между станциями Ясиноватая — Луганск^[130].

Почтовую связь с декабря 2014 года осуществляет государственное предприятие «Почта ЛНР»^[131].

Образование

В республике работают «Луганский национальный университет имени Владимира Даля» , Луганская государственная академия культуры и искусств имени М. Матусовского, Луганский государственный медицинский университет имени Святителя Луки, Луганской национальный университет имени Тараса Шевченко, Донбасский государственный технический университет.

Время

22 октября 2014 года глава Луганской Народной Республики Игорь Плотницкий подписал постановление о переходе на московское время, согласно которому на территории ЛНР круглогодично устанавливалось время UTC+3. После изменения 26 октября 2014 года московского времени с UTC+4 на UTC+3 и сезонного перевода часов согласно киевскому времени время в ЛНР стало совпадать с московским временем и на один час опережать киевское время зимой (согласно киевскому времени, зимой используется UTC+2, летом — UTC+3)^[132].

Социальная сфера

На протяжении всего конфликта Украина продолжала соцвыплаты населению Донбасса, хотя с обналичиванием средств проблемы возникли ещё в июне, и к ноябрю её власти решили прекратить выплату на неподконтрольных территориях из-за отсутствия гарантий безопасности (предложив получать продолжавшиеся начисляться средства на подконтрольных ей районах региона). В свою очередь самопровозглашённые власти стали устраивать «пенсионные туры» в подконтрольные правительству населённые пункты для снятия денег с карт^[117].

Размер пенсий ЛНР для пенсионеров и инвалидов I группы составил 1800 гривен, для инвалидов II группы — 1620 гривен, для инвалидов III группы — 900 гривен. Источники выплат представителями ЛНР названы так и не были. На заседании кабмина самопровозглашённой ЛНР 8 ноября обнародовали данные о выплатах, которые получили почти 108 тысяч жителей Луганска, Лутугинского и Краснодонского районов Луганской области — сумма составила 182 млн гривен. По неофициальным подсчетам, в целом на территории, контролируемой ЛНР, проживает около 300 тысяч пенсионеров^[117].

7 декабря 2014 года министр образования, науки, культуры и религии ЛНР Леся Лаптева заявила об отмене с 1 января следующего года в школах на подконтрольной этому государственному образованию территориях дисциплины «История Украины». Вместо неё планируется ввести курс «История Отечества»^[133].

В апреле ЛНР планировала потратить на выплату пенсий 1,7 млрд рублей, заявлял глава ЛНР Игорь Плотницкий^[118].

Работает Федерация Профсоюзов ЛНР, а также профсоюз работников науки и образования ЛНР^[134].

Стихийные митинги

По информации «Би-би-си» жители городов Луганской Народной Республики остались без пенсий и несколько раз выходили на стихийные митинги. В сентябре и октябре пенсионеры протестовали в Стаханове и Ровеньках. А в Брянке и Свердловске митингующих с помощью огнестрельного оружия разогнали местные вооружённые формирования самопровозглашённого государства^[117].

«Би-би-си» сообщает, что сами пенсионеры считали, что выплаты были приурочены к выборам главы ЛНР и депутатов Народного Совета 2 ноября 2014 года^[117].

Спорт

На территории республики действует Министерство культуры, спорта и молодёжи Луганской Народной Республики^[135].

СМИ и Интернет

12 марта 2015 года властями ЛНР были заблокированы 23 украинских телеканала, среди которых были крупнейшие каналы Украины Интер, 1+1, 2+2, ICTV, СТБ, Новый канал, Первый национальный, региональный канал «Донбасс» и парламентский Рада, а также российский канал «Дождь»^[136][137]. Согласно официальному заявлению ЛНР, данные телеканалы работают без лицензии и ведут «пропаганду войны»^[138][139].

4 февраля 2016 года стало известно о решении руководства самопровозглашенной республики заблокировать на подконтрольной ей территории 113 интернет-ресурсов, включая сайты Би-би-си, Интерфакс-Украина, украинские версии изданий Forbes, РБК, «Комсомольской правды» и «Радио Свобода»^[140]. Основанием запрета было названо нарушение вышеозначенными изданиями законодательства Луганской Народной Республики, в частности законов ЛНР «О СМИ» и «О защите детей от информации, причиняющей вред их здоровью и развитию», а также необходимость «обеспечения национальной безопасности»^[141].

Права человека

Международная организация Human Rights Watch сообщила о многочисленных случаях нарушений прав человека в ЛНР: задержаниях мирных жителей, пытках и принуждении к труду^[142]. В специальном докладе HRW говорится:

Начиная с апреля 2014 года, вооруженные боевики, поддерживающие самопровозглашенную Донецкую народную республику и Луганскую народную республику, захватили сотни мирных жителей, преследовали предполагаемых критиков, включая журналистов, проукраинских политических активистов, религиозных активистов и, в некоторых случаях, членов их семей.

Среди прочего, HRW задокументировала свидетельства 12 человек, которые рассказывали об избиениях, ножевых ранениях, сигаретных ожогах и унизительном обращении^[142].

25 октября 2014 года в подконтрольном ЛНР Алчевске состоялся «народный суд» под председательством Алексея Мозгового над двумя мужчинами, подозреваемых в изнасиловании 15-летней и 13-летней девочек, в ходе которого около 300 жителей города путём «поднятия руки» проголосовали за смертный приговор через расстрел одному из мужчин, а другого приговорили к отправке на линию фронта, чтобы он мог «искупить свою вину и умереть с честью»^[143][144]. Приведение приговора в исполнение так и не состоялось, впоследствии оба обвиняемых были переданы правоохранительным органам ЛНР.

Интересные факты

• В 2014 году гражданин Российской Федерации Егор Русский, приехавший в мае 2014 года добровольцем в ЛНР, возглавил Лутугинский район и стал главой города Лутугина. По законам ЛНР, не являясь гражданином государства, он не мог занимать пост на государственной службе^[145]. Будучи единственным официально назначенным местными властями чиновником-гражданином России, он проработал 1,5 года в этой должности^[146].

См. также

• Юго-Восточная Украинская Автономная Республика
• Отдельные районы Донецкой и Луганской областей
• Донецкая Народная Республика
• Сепаратизм

Комментарии

Примечания

Ссылки

• Официальный сайт Главы Луганской Народной Республики
• Луганский Информационный Центр
• Официальный сайт Совета Министров Луганской Народной Республики

ЛУГАНСКАЯ НАРОДНАЯ РЕСПУБЛИКА

Субъект РФ. Пл. 26,7 тыс. кв. км. Население 1,4 тыс. чел. (2022). Столица – г. Луганск.

27 апреля 2014 года представителями народа Луганской области были провозглашены суверенитет и независимость Луганской Народной Республики. 23–27 сентября 2022 года в Луганской Народной Республике состоялся референдум, на котором был поддержан вопрос о вхождении республики в состав РФ на правах субъекта.

В соответствии с Федеральным конституционным законом от 04.10.2022 № 6-ФКЗ «О принятии в Российскую Федерацию Луганской Народной Республики и образовании в составе Российской Федерации нового субъекта – Луганской Народной Республики» и Федеральным законом от 04.10.2022 № 373-ФЗ «О ратификации Договора между Российской Федерацией и Луганской Народной Республикой о принятии в Российскую Федерацию Луганской Народной Республики и образовании в составе Российской Федерации нового субъекта» Луганская Народная Республика принята в состав РФ.

Конституция Луганской Народной Республики принята 18 мая 2014 года.

Глава Луганской Народной Республики является главой государства. Глава республики избирается гражданами Луганской Народной Республики сроком на 5 лет.

В нояб. 2014 Главой Луганской Народной Республики избран И.В. Плотницкий, в нояб. 2017 полномочия прекращены по состоянию здоровья. В нояб. 2017 врио Главы Луганской Народной Республики назначен Л.И. Пасечник. В нояб. 2018 Л.И. Пасечник избран Главой Луганской Народной Республики. В связи с вступлением республики в состав РФ в окт. 2022 Указом Президента РФ временно исполняющим обязанности Главы Луганской Народной Республики назначен Л.И.Пасечник (до вступления в должность лица, избранного главой республики).

Высший исполнительный орган государственной власти республики – Правительство Луганской Народной Республики.

Высший законодательный (представительный) орган государственной власти республики – Народный Совет Луганской Народной Республики – парламент Луганской Народной Республики. Избирается на 5 лет. Состоит из 50 депутатов, которые избираются по республиканскому избирательному округу пропорционально числу голосов, поданных за республиканские списки кандидатов в депутаты. Действующий состав избран в нояб. 2018. Срок окончания полномочий – сент. 2023.

В апр. 2016 – дек. 2017 Председатель Народного Совета Луганской Народной Республики – В.Н. Дегтяренко, с дек. 2017 – Д.Н. Мирошниченко (переизбирался в нояб. 2018).

Луга́нская Наро́дная Респу́блика (сокр. ЛНР; укр. Луганська Народна Республіка) — непризнанное государство в восточной Европе, самопровозглашённое в апреле 2014 года в пределах Луганской области Украины. Согласно Конституции Украины, территория, на которую претендует ЛНР, является неотъемлемой частью Украины. Бо́льшая часть заявленной территории ЛНР контролируется украинскими властями; остальная часть территории ЛНР, неподконтрольная украинским властям, считается украинскими властями территорией, временно оккупированной российскими вооружёнными силами.

12 мая 2014 года после состоявшегося 11 мая референдума о самоопределении Луганской Народной Республики, по объявленным организаторами итогам которого 96,2 % проголосовавших высказались за независимость региона и создание Луганской Народной Республики, власти ЛНР объявили суверенитет и выразили желание вступить в состав России, а также объединиться с Донецкой Народной Республикой в Новороссию. 11 июня 2014 года ЛНР обратилась к Российской Федерации, а также к 14 другим государствам, с просьбой о признании её независимости.

К настоящему моменту независимость республики признана лишь частично признанным государством Южная Осетия.

Власти Украины рассматривают сторонников ЛНР как сепаратистов и террористов и ведут против них военную операцию, именуемую антитеррористической (приостановлена при международном посредничестве в сентябре 2014, затем, после скоротечного обострения — в начале 2015 года; см. Первое и Второе Минские соглашения). В период начала операции депутаты местного облсовета Луганской области заявили, что следует уважать волю граждан, которые высказались на референдуме ЛНР, и характеризовали силовую операцию Правительства Украины как «террористическую» и направленную против народа.

Luhansk People’s Republic Луганская Народная Республика (ru) Luganskaya Narodnaya Respublika
Flag Template:Interlanguage link
Motto:  Луганск, сила и свобода «Luhansk, strength and freedom»
Anthem:  Гимн Луганской Народной Республики «Template:Interlanguage link» [1]
Controlled territory of Luhansk People’s Republic in Ukraine prior to Russian invasion
Status	Disputed Recognised by 1 out of 193 member states of the United Nations Recognised by the United Nations as de jure part of Ukraine
Capital and largest city	Luhansk
Official languages	Russian[2]
Demonym(s)	Luhansk
Government	Unitary presidential republic
• Head	Leonid Pasechnik
• Prime Minister	Sergey Kozlov
• Chairman of the People’s Council	Denis Miroshnichenko
Legislature	People’s Council
Independence from Ukraine
• Established	27 April 2014
• Independence referendum	11 May 2014
• Minsk agreement	5 September 2014
• Minsk II agreement	12 February 2015
• Recognised by Russia	21 February 2022
Area
• Total	8,377[3] km2 (3,234 sq mi)
Population
• Estimate	1,464,039[4]
Time zone	UTC+3[5]

The Luhansk People’s Republic, also known as the Lugansk People’s Republic^[7][8] (Russian: Луга́нская Наро́дная Респу́блика, romanized: Luganskaya Narodnaya Respublika, IPA: [lʊˈɡanskəjə nɐˈrodnəjə rʲɪˈspublʲɪkə]; abbreviated as LPR or LNR), is a self-proclaimed breakaway state located within Ukraine, designated as a terrorist organisation in Ukraine. It is located in Luhansk Oblast in the Donbas region, a territory internationally recognised, with the exception of the Russian Federation, to be a part of Ukraine. Luhansk, the territory’s largest city, serves as its capital. The population of the republic is approximately 1.5 million people. The current head of state is Leonid Pasechnik.

The LPR declared independence from Ukraine in the aftermath of the 2014 Ukrainian Revolution, along with the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and the Republic of Crimea. An ongoing armed conflict with Ukraine followed its declaration of independence. The LPR and DPR receive humanitarian assistance from Russia. According to NATO and Ukraine, Russia had also provided military aid to the rebels, a claim that Russia previously denied.^{[9][10][11][12]}

Ukraine’s legislation describes the LPR’s area as a «temporarily occupied territory», and the government of LPR is described as an occupying administration of the Russian Federation.^[13][14] The September 2014 Minsk Agreement signed by representatives of the OSCE, Ukraine, and Russia—and by the heads of the LNR and DNR without recognising any status for them—^[15][16][17] was meant to stop the conflict and reintegrate rebel-held territory into Ukraine in exchange for more autonomy for the area, but the agreement was never fully implemented.^[18]

On 21 February 2022, Russia became the first UN member state to formally recognise the LPR and DPR.^[19][20] Both Republics are at the center of the 2021–2022 Russo-Ukrainian crisis.

Geography and demographics

The LPR is landlocked and borders Ukraine (i.e., the rest of Ukraine) to the north, the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic to the west, and Russia to the east. The LPR extends to approximately half of Luhansk Oblast, including its densely populated areas, the regional capital Luhansk, as well as the major cities Alchevsk and Krasnodon. Approximately 64.4% of the population of the Oblast lives in the LPR.^[21] The northern part of Luhansk Oblast, has remained under Ukrainian control since 2014–2015.^[22] The territory controlled by the LPR is mostly, but not completely, coincident with the right (southern) bank of the Donets.

The highest point of the LPR (and of the whole Donbas) is Grave Mechetna hill (367.1 m (1,204 ft) above sea level), which is located in the vicinity of the city of Petrovske.^[23]

The population in the territory under its control is estimated by the LPR’s bureau of statistics at approximately 1.5 million people, although the exactness of this estimate is questionable due to wartime migration and a lack of independent sources.^[4] Approximately 435,000 of the population live in Luhansk,^[24] where the LPR has its administration. Leaked documents suggest that approximately 38% of the population are .^[25] More than half of the pre-war population has left the territory controlled by the LPR and Donetsk People’s Republic.^[25]

History

Luhansk and Donetsk People’s republics are located in the historical region of Donbas, which was added to Ukraine in 1922.^[26] The majority of the population speaks Russian as their first language. Attempts by various Ukrainian governments to question the legitimacy of the Russian culture in Ukraine had since the Declaration of Independence of Ukraine often resulted in political conflict. In the Ukrainian national elections, a remarkably stable pattern had developed, where Donbas and the Western Ukrainian regions had voted for the opposite candidates since the presidential election in 1994. Viktor Yanukovych, a Donetsk native, had been elected as a president of Ukraine in 2010. His overthrow in the 2014 Ukrainian revolution led to protests in Eastern Ukraine, which gradually escalated into an armed conflict between the newly formed Ukrainian government and the local armed militias.^[27]

Occupation of government buildings

On 5 March 2014, 12 days after the protesters in Kyiv seized the president’s office (at the time Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych had already fled Ukraine^[28]),^[29] a crowd of people in front of the Luhansk Oblast State Administration building proclaimed Aleksandr Kharitonov as «People’s Governor» in Luhansk region. On 9 March 2014 Luganskaya Gvadiya of Kharitonov stormed the government building in Luhansk and forced the newly appointed Governor of Luhansk Oblast, Mykhailo Bolotskykh, to sign a letter of resignation.^[30]

One thousand pro-Russian activists seized and occupied the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) building in the city of Luhansk on 6 April 2014, following similar occupations in Donetsk and Kharkiv.^[31][32] The activists demanded that separatist leaders who had been arrested in previous weeks be released.^[31] In anticipation of attempts by the government to retake the building, barricades were erected to reinforce the positions of the activists.^[33][34] It was proposed by the activists that a «Lugansk Parliamentary Republic» be declared on 8 April 2014, but this did not occur.^[35][36] By 12 April, the government had regained control over the SBU building with the assistance of local police forces.^[37]

Several thousand protesters gathered for a ‘people’s assembly’ outside the regional state administration (RSA) building in Luhansk city on 21 April. These protesters called for the creation of a ‘people’s government’, and demanded either federalisation of Ukraine or incorporation of Luhansk into the Russian Federation.^[38] They elected Valery Bolotov as ‘People’s Governor’ of Luhansk Oblast.^[39] Two referendums were announced by the leadership of the activists. One was scheduled for 11 May, and was meant to determine whether the region would seek greater autonomy (and potentially independence), or retain its previous constitutional status within Ukraine. Another referendum, meant to be held on 18 May in the event that the first referendum favoured autonomy, was to determine whether the region would join the Russian Federation, or become independent.^[40]

During a gathering outside the RSA building on 27 April 2014, pro-Russian activists proclaimed the «Luhansk People’s Republic».^[41] The protesters issued demands, which said that the Ukrainian government should provide amnesty for all protesters, include the Russian language as an official language of Ukraine, and also hold a referendum on the status of Luhansk Oblast.^[41] They then warned the Ukrainian government that if it did not meet these demands by 14:00 on 29 April, they would launch an armed insurgency in tandem with that of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR).^[41][42]

As the Ukrainian government did not respond to these demands, 2,000 to 3,000 activists, some of them armed, seized the RSA building, and a local prosecutor’s office, on 29 April.^[43] The buildings were both ransacked, and then occupied by the protesters.^[44] Protestors waved local flags, alongside those of Russia and the neighbouring Donetsk People’s Republic.^[45] The police officers that had been guarding the building offered little resistance to the takeover, and some of them defected and supported the activists.^[46]

Territorial expansion

Demonstrations by pro-Russian activists began to spread across Luhansk Oblast towards the end of April. The municipal administration building in Pervomaisk was overrun on 29 April 2014, and the Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR) flag was raised over it.^[47][48] Oleksandr Turchynov, then acting president of Ukraine, admitted the next day that government forces were unable to stabilise the situation in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.^[49] On the same day, activists seized control of the Alchevsk municipal administration building.^[50] In Krasnyi Luch, the municipal council conceded to demands by activists to support the 11 May 2014 referendum, and followed by raising the Russian flag over the building.^[47]

Insurgents occupied the municipal council building in Stakhanov on 1 May 2014. Later in the week, they stormed the local police station, business centre, and SBU building.^[51][52] Activists in Rovenky occupied a police building there on 5 May, but quickly left.^[53] On the same day, the police headquarters in Slovianoserbsk was seized by members of the Army of the South-East, a pro-Russian Luhansk regional militia group.^[54][55] In addition, the town of Antratsyt was occupied by the Don Cossacks.^[56][57]

Some said that the occupiers came from Russia;^[58] the Cossacks themselves said that only a few people among them had come from Russia.^[59] On 7 May, insurgents also seized the prosecutor’s office in Sievierodonetsk.^[60] Luhansk People’s Republic supporters stormed government buildings in Starobilsk on 8 May, replacing the Ukrainian flag with that of the Republic.^[61] Sources within the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs said that as of 10 May 2014, the day before the proposed status referendum, Ukrainian forces still retained control over 50% of Luhansk Oblast.^[62]

Status referendum

Main article: 2014 Donbas status referendums

The planned referendum on the status of Luhansk oblast was held on 11 May 2014.^[63] The organisers of the referendum said that 96.2% of those who voted were in favour of self-rule, with 3.8% against.^[64] They said that voter turnout was at 81%. There were no international observers present to validate the referendum.^[64]

Declaration of independence

Following the referendum, the head of the Republic, Valery Bolotov, said that the Republic had become an «independent state».^[65] The still-extant Luhansk Oblast Council did not support independence, but called for immediate federalisation of Ukraine, asserting that «an absolute majority of people voted for the right to make their own decisions about how to live».^[66][67] The council also requested an immediate end to Ukrainian military activity in the region, amnesty for anti-government protestors, and official status for the Russian language in Ukraine.^[67]

Valery Bolotov was wounded in an assassination attempt on 13 May.^[68] Luhansk People’s Republic authorities blamed the incident on the Ukrainian government. Government forces later captured Alexei Rilke, the commander of the Army of the South-East.^[69] The next day, Ukrainian border guards arrested Valery Bolotov. Just over two hours later, after unsuccessfully attempting negotiations, 150 to 200 armed separatists attacked the Dovzhansky checkpoint where he had been held. The ensuing firefight led Ukrainian government forces to free Bolotov.^[70]

On 24 May 2014 the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Luhansk People’s Republic jointly announced their intention to form a confederative «union of People’s Republics» called New Russia.^[71] Republic President Valery Bolotov said on 28 May that the Luhansk People’s Republic would begin to introduce its own legislation based on Russian law; he said Ukrainian law was unsuitable due to it being «written for oligarchs».^[72] Vasily Nikitin, prime minister of the Republic, announced that elections to the State Council would take place in September.^[73]

The leadership of the Luhansk People’s Republic said on 12 June 2014 that it would attempt to establish a «union state» with Russia.^[74] The government added that it would seek to boost trade with Russia through legislative, agricultural and economic changes.^[74]

Stakhanov, a city that had been occupied by LPR-affiliated Don Cossacks, seceded from the Luhansk People’s Republic on 14 September 2014.^{[75][not in citation given]} Don Cossacks there proclaimed the Republic of Stakhanov, and said that a «Cossack government» now ruled in Stakhanov.^[75][76] However the following day this was claimed^{[by whom?]} to be a fabrication, and an unnamed Don Cossack leader stated the 14 September meeting had, in fact, resulted in 12,000 Cossacks volunteering to join the LPR forces.^[77] Elections to the LPR Supreme Council took place on 2 November 2014, as the LPR did not allow the Ukrainian parliamentary election to be held in territory under its control.^[78][79]

Human rights in the early stages of the war

In May 2014 the United Nations observed an «alarming deterioration» of human rights in insurgent-held territory in eastern Ukraine.^[80] The UN detailed growing lawlessness, documenting cases of targeted killings, torture, and abduction, carried out by Luhansk People’s Republic insurgents.^[81] The UN also highlighted threats, attacks, and abductions of journalists and international observers, as well as the beatings and attacks on supporters of Ukrainian unity.^[81] An 18 November 2014 United Nations report on eastern Ukraine declared that the Luhansk People’s Republic was in a state of «total breakdown of law and order».^[82]

The report noted «cases of serious human rights abuses by the armed groups continued to be reported, including torture, arbitrary and incommunicado detention, summary executions, forced labour, sexual violence, as well as the destruction and illegal seizure of property may amount to crimes against humanity».^[82] The report also stated that the insurgents violated the rights of Ukrainian-speaking children because schools in rebel-controlled areas only teach in Russian.^[82] The United Nations also accused the Ukrainian Army and Ukrainian (volunteer) territorial defence battalions of human rights abuses such as illegal detention, torture and ill-treatment, noting official denials.^[82] In a 15 December 2014 press conference in Kyiv UN Assistant Secretary-General for human rights Ivan Šimonović stated that the majority of human rights violations, including executions without trial, arrests and torture, were committed in areas controlled by pro-Russian rebels.^[83]

In November 2014, Amnesty International called the «People’s Court» (public trials where allegedly random locals are the jury) held in the Luhansk People’s Republic «an outrageous violation of the international humanitarian law».^[84]

In January 2015, the Luhansk Communist Party criticised the current situation in the region. In their statement they expressed «deep disappointment» with how the situation developed from «authentic people’s protests a year ago» to «return of corruption and banditism».^[85] In December 2015 the Special Monitoring Mission of the OSCE in Ukraine reported «Parallel ‘justice systems’ have begun operating» in territory controlled by the Luhansk People’s Republic.^[86] They criticised this judiciary to be «non-transparent, subject to constant change, seriously under-resourced and, in many instances, completely non-functional».^[86]

Luhansk People’s Republic since 2015

On 1 January 2015, forces loyal to the Luhansk People’s Republic ambushed and killed Alexander Bednov, head of a pro-Russian battalion called «Batman». Bednov was accused of murder, abduction and other abuses. An arrest warrant for Bednov and several other battalion members had been previously issued by the separatists’ prosecutor’s office.^[87][88][89]

On 12 February 2015, DPR and LPR leaders Alexander Zakharchenko and Igor Plotnitsky signed the Minsk II agreement.^[16] In the Minsk agreement it is agreed to introducing amendments to the Ukrainian constitution «the key element of which is decentralisation» and the holding of elections «on temporary order of local self-governance in particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, based in the line set up by the Minsk Memorandum as of 19 September 2014″; in return rebel held territory would be reintegrated into Ukraine.^[16][17] Representatives of the DPR and LPR continue to forward their proposals concerning Minsk II to the Trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine.^[90] Plotnitsky told journalists on 18 February 2015: «Will we be part of Ukraine? This depends on what kind of Ukraine it will be. If it remains like it is now, we will never be together.»^[91]

On 20 May 2015, the leadership of the Federal State of Novorossiya announced the termination of the confederation ‘project’.^[92]

On 19 April 2016, planned (organised by the LPR) local elections were postponed from 24 April to 24 July 2016.^[93] On 22 July 2016, this elections was again postponed to 6 November 2016.^[94] (On 2 October 2016, the DPR and LPR held «primaries» in were voters voted to nominate candidates for participation in the 6 November 2016 elections.^[95] Ukraine denounced these «primaries» as illegal.^[95]) On 4 November 2016, both DPR and LPR postponed their 6 November 2016 local elections «until further notice».^{[citation needed]}

The «LPR Prosecutor General’s Office» announced late September 2016, that it had thwarted a coup attempt ringleaded by former LPR appointed prime minister Gennadiy Tsypkalov (who they stated had committed suicide on 23 September while in detention).^[96] Meanwhile, it had also imprisoned former LPR parliamentary speaker Aleksey Karyakin and former LPR interior minister, Igor Kornet.^[97] DPR leader Zakharchenko said he had helped to thwart the coup (stating «I had to send a battalion to solve their problems»).^[97]

On 4 February 2017, LPR defence minister Oleg Anashchenko was killed in a car bomb attack in Luhansk.^[98] Separatists claimed «Ukrainian secret services» were suspected of being behind the attack; while Ukrainian officials suggested Anashchenko’s death may be the result of an internal power struggle among rebel leaders.^[98]

Mid-March 2017 Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signed a decree on a temporary ban on the movement of goods to and from territory controlled by the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic and Donetsk People’s Republic; this also means that since then Ukraine does not buy coal from the Donets Black Coal Basin.^[99]

On 21 November 2017, armed men in unmarked uniforms took up positions in the center of Luhansk in what appeared to be a power struggle between the head of the republic Plotnitsky and the (sacked by Plotnitsky) LPR appointed interior minister Igor Kornet.^[100][101] Media reports stated that the DPR had sent armed troops to Luhansk the following night.^[100][101] Three days later the website of the separatists stated that Plotnitsky had resigned «for health reasons. Multiple war wounds, the effects of blast injuries, took their toll.»^[102] The website stated that security minister Leonid Pasechnik had been named acting leader «until the next elections.»^[102]

Plotnitsky was stated to become the separatist’s representative to the Minsk process.^[102] Plotnitsky himself did not issue a public statement on 24 November 2017.^[102] Russian media reported that Plotnitsky had fled the unrecognised republic on 23 November 2017, first travelling from Luhansk to Rostov-on-Don by car and then flying to Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport.^[103] On 25 November the 38-member separatist republic’s People’s Council unanimously approved Plotnitsky’s resignation.^[104] Pasechnik declared his adherence to the Minsk accords, claiming «The republic will be consistently executing the obligations taken under these agreements.»^[7]

In June 2019 Russia started giving Russian passports to the inhabitants of the LPR and Donetsk People’s Republic under a simplified procedure allegedly on «humanitarian grounds» (such as enabling international travel for eastern Ukrainian residents whose passports have expired).^[105] According to Ukrainian press by mid-2021 half a million Russian passports had been received by local residents.^[106] Deputy Kremlin Chief of Staff Dmitry Kozak stated in a July 2021 interview with Politique internationale that 470 thousand local residents had received a Russian passport; he added that «as soon as the situation in Donbass is resolved….The general procedure for granting citizenship will be restored.»^[107]

In early June 2020, the LPR declared Russian as the only state language on its territory, removing the Ukrainian language from its school curriculum.^[108] Previously the separatists leaders had made Ukrainian LPR’s second state language, but in practice it was already disappearing from schools curricula prior to June 2020.^[109]

In January 2021 the Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic stated in a «Russian Donbas doctrine» that they aimed to seize all of the territories of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblast under control by the Ukrainian government «in the near future.»^[110] The document did not specifically state the intention of DPR and LPR to be annexed by Russia.^[110]

2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine

On 2 March 2022, during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Luhansk People’s Republic military, alongside Russian Armed Forces started a battle to capture Sievierodonetsk, the de facto centre of the administrative functions of Ukrainian-controlled Luhansk Oblast. Several villages surrounding Sievierodonetsk have been captured, but LPR and Russia have so far been unable to enter the city.^[111][112]

Administrative divisions

Since late 2014, the Luhansk People’s Republic controls the following administrative divisions of Luhansk Oblast:^[113][114]

• Luhansk Municipality
• Alchevsk
• Antratsyt Municipality
• Brianka Municipality
• Kirovsk Municipality
• Krasnodon Municipality
• Krasnyi Luch Municipality
• Pervomaysk
• Rovenky Municipality
• Stakhanov Municipality
• Sverdlovsk Municipality
• Antratsyt Raion
• Krasnodon Raion
• Lutuhyne Raion
• Perevalsk Raion
• Slovianoserbsk Raion
• Sverdlovsk Raion

Government and politics

Template:Politics of the Luhansk People’s Republic

Constitution

The People’s Council of the LPR ratified a temporary constitution on 18 May 2014.^[115] Its government styles itself as a people’s republic. The form of the Luhansk People’s Republic’s parliament is called the People’s Council and has 50 deputies.^[116] Aleksey Karyakin was elected as its first head on 18 May 2014.^[97] Its anthem is «Glory to Luhansk People’s Republic!» (Russian: Луганской Народной Республике, Слава!), also known as «Live and Shine, LNR».^[117][118] Aljazeera described the republic’s ideology as neo-Stalinism, a «totalitarian, North Korea-like statelet.»^[119]

Elections

Main articles: 2014 Donbas general elections and 2018 Donbas general elections

The first parliamentary elections to the legislature of the Luhansk People’s Republic were held on 2 November 2014.^[116] People of at least 30 years old who «permanently resided in Luhansk People’s Republic the last 10 years» were electable for four years and could be nominated by public organisations.^[116] All residents of Luhansk Oblast were eligible to vote, even if they are residents of areas controlled by Ukrainian government forces or fled to Russia or other places in Ukraine as refugees.^[78]

Ukraine urged Russia to use its influence to stop the election «to avoid a frozen conflict».^[120] Russia on the other hand indicated it «will of course recognise the results of the election»; Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that the election «will be important to legitimise the authorities there».^[79] Ukraine held the 2014 Ukrainian parliamentary election on 26 October 2014; these were boycotted by the Donetsk People’s Republic and hence voting for it did not take place in Ukraine’s eastern districts controlled by forces loyal to the Luhansk People’s Republic.^[79][120]

On 6 July 2015 the Luhansk People’s Republic leader (LPR) Igor Plotnitsky set elections for «mayors and regional heads» for 1 November 2015 in territory under his control.^{[citation needed]} (Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) leader Alexander Zakharchenko issued a decree on 2 July 2015 that ordered local DPR elections to be held on 18 October 2015. He said that this action was «in accordance with the Minsk agreements».^[121]) On 6 October 2015 the DNR and LPR leadership postponed their planned elections to 21 February 2016.^[122]

This happened 4 days after a Normandy four meeting in which it was agreed that the October 2015 Ukrainian local elections in LPR and DPR controlled territories would be held in accordance to the February 2015 Minsk II agreement.^[123] At the meeting President of France François Hollande stated that in order to hold these elections (in LPR and DPR controlled territories) it was necessary «since we need three months to organize elections» to hold these elections in 2016.^[123] Also during the meeting it is believed that Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to use his influence to not allow the DPR and Luhansk People’s Republic election to take place on 18 October 2015 and 1 November 2015.^[123] On 4 November 2016 both DPR and LPR postponed their local elections, they had set for 6 November 2016, «until further notice».^{[citation needed]}

Additional elections took place simultaneously in Donetsk and Luhansk republics on 11 November 2018. The official position of the U.S. and European union is that this vote is illegitimate because it was not controlled by the Ukrainian government, and that it was contrary to the 2015 Minsk agreement. Leonid Pasechnik, the head of the Luhansk People’s Republic, disagreed and said that the vote was in accordance with the Minsk Agreement. The separatist leaders said that the election was a key step toward establishing full-fledged democracy in the regions. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said that residents of eastern Ukraine should not to participate in the vote. Nevertheless, both regions reported voter turnout of more than 70 per cent as of two hours before the polls closed at 8 p.m. local time.^{[124][125][126]}

Public opposition in the LPR is virtually non-existent.^[25]

Currency

As of May 2015, pensions started being paid in mostly Russian rubles by the Luhansk People’s Republic. 85% were in rubles, 12% in hryvnias, and 3% in US$ according to LPR Head Igor Plotnitsky.^[127] Ukraine completely stopped paying pensions for the elderly and disabled in areas under DPR and LPR control on 1 December 2014.^[128]

Postal Services

LNR Post (Почта ЛНР) is the postal authority of the Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR), a division of the Ministry of Communications of the LPR. It was founded in 2014 in supplement and succession to the Ukrainian Postal Service Ukrposhta (Укрпошта). As of 2022 it is not a member of the Universal Postal Union. The general director of LNR Post is Marina Pukhotseva.

Military

The People’s Militia of the LPR (Russian: Народная милиция ЛНР) comprise the Russian separatist forces in the LPR.^{[129][130][131]} On 7 October 2014, by decree Igor Plotnitsky, the People’s Militia was created, with Oleg Bugrov serving as Minister of Defense and the Commander-in-Chief of the People’s Militia.^[132][133] It has been reported that it is under the control 2nd Army Corps, which is subordinated to the specially created 12th Reserve Command of the Southern Military District of the Russian Armed Forces at its headquarters in the city of Novocherkassk, Rostov Oblast.^[134][135]

Law enforcement

On 9 October 2014, Plotnitsky signed a decree for the formation of the Ministry of State Security during hostilities that took place several kilometres from Luhansk. In 2015, the Ministry of State Security began to fully implement its tasks.^[136] The LPR also has a Ministry of Internal Affairs, which claims its lineage to the Luhansk District Militia that existed in the 1920s.^[137]

Sports and culture

See also: Luhansk People’s Republic national football team

The football team of the Luhansk People’s republic is ranked sixteenth in the Confederation of Independent Football Associations world ranking.^[138] A football match between LPR and DPR was played on 8 August 2015 at the Metalurh Stadium in Donetsk.^[139]

Human rights

Freedom House evaluates the eastern Donbas territories controlled by the LNR and DNR as «not free», scoring 4 out of 100 in its 2021 Freedom in the World index.^[140]

Recognition and international relations

Main article: International recognition of Donetsk and Luhansk

The Luhansk People’s Republic is not recognised by any UN member state apart from Russia, which recognised it on 21 February 2022. On the same occasion, Vladimir Putin signed agreements on friendship, cooperation, and assistance with the republic and the DPR.^[141] It has been recognised by two other states with limited international recognition: South Ossetia^[142][143] and the Donetsk People’s Republic.^[144]

Nicaragua, Syria, Belarus and Venezuela have expressed their support to the Russian recognition of the LPR’s independence.^{[145][146][147][148]}

LPR has been in a state of armed conflict with Ukraine since the former declared independence in 2014. The Ukrainian military operation against the republic is officially called an anti-terrorist operation, although it is not considered as such by the Supreme Court of Ukraine itself^[149] or by either the EU, US, or Russia.^{[150][151][152]}

The Russian Federation formerly did not recognise LPR as a state, but it recognised official documents issued by the LPR government, such as identity documents, diplomas, birth and marriage certificates and vehicle registration plates.^[153] This recognition was introduced in February 2017^[153] and enabled people living in LPR controlled territories to travel, work or study in Russia.^[153] According to the presidential decree that introduced it, the reason for the decree was «to protect human rights and freedoms» in accordance with «the widely recognised principles of international humanitarian law.»^[154] Ukrainian authorities decried the decree and claimed that it was contradictory to the Minsk II agreement, and also that it «legally recognised the quasi-state terrorist groups which cover Russia’s occupation of part of Donbas.»^[155]

See also

• 2014 Luhansk status referendum
• 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine
• Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation
• COVID-19 pandemic in the Luhansk People’s Republic
• Demographics of Ukraine
• Donetsk People’s Republic
• International recognition of Novorossiya
• International recognition of the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Luhansk People’s Republic
• International representation of the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Luhansk People’s Republic
• List of active separatist movements in Europe
• List of rebel groups that control territory
• Malaysia Airlines Flight 17
• Novorossiya (confederation)
• Russian language in Ukraine
• Russians in Ukraine

References

External links

• Official website of the Council of Ministers of LPR (in Russian)
• Lugansk Media Centre