In April 2014, just weeks after the annexation of Crimea, pro-Russian armed groups occupy government buildings in Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The "People's Republics" of Donetsk (DNR) and Luhansk (LNR) are proclaimed.
Russian involvement
Despite initial Kremlin denials, Russian military involvement has been extensively documented:
- Russian soldiers captured on Ukrainian territory with military documents
- Heavy military equipment (T-72B3 tanks, missile systems) not issued to the Ukrainian army nor available on the black market
- Downing of flight MH17 (July 17, 2014): the international investigation established that the Buk missile came from Russia's 53rd Anti-Aircraft Brigade
- Intercepts of communications between separatist commanders and Russian officers
- Testimonies from Russian soldiers and their families
Minsk Agreements
In September 2014 and February 2015, the Minsk agreements are signed for a ceasefire. The agreements are never fully implemented by any party, but the conflict freezes into a war of position.
Toll
From 2014 to 2022, before the full-scale invasion, the conflict causes over 14,000 deaths and nearly 2 million internally displaced persons.