Lugansk People's Republic

The Lugansk People's Republic (Луганская народная республика, Luganskaya narodnaya respublika) is a self-proclaimed state in the region of eastern Ukraine, bordering the Russian Federation, the Donetsk People's Republic and Ukraine itself. Following the Euromaidan protest movement and the deposing of President Viktor Yanukovich in the 2014 Ukrainian revolution, local anti-Madian and pro-Russian protests intensified culminating in the proclamation of the Lugansk People's Republic on 27 April 2014. The authorities of the Republic later held a referendum on 11 May to seek legitimacy for the proclamation and subsequently declared independence on 12 May 2014. The Republic is not recognised by any country, and has been widely criticised by the international community. Ukraine classifies the Republic as a terrorist organization.

Occupation of government buildings
On 6 April, approximately 1,000 pro-Russian activists seized and occupied the SBU building in the city of Luhansk following similar occupations in the cities of Donetsk and Kharkiv. Protesters demanded that separatists leaders that had been arrested over the course of the previous weeks be released. In anticipation of government attempts to retake control of the building, barricades were erected to reinforce the protesters positions.

A proposed Luhansk Parliamentary Republic was meant to be declared on 8 April. This never occurred. By 12 April, the SBU building had once again come under the control of the local police forces.

On 21 April, several thousand protesters gathered for a 'people's assembly' at the site of the local administration building, calling for the creation of a 'people's government', with protesters demanding either federalisation or incorporation into Russia. Activists elected Valeriy Bolotov to the position of "People's Governor". Two referendums were announced, one on 11 May to decide if the region should have autonomy or retain its current constitutional arrangement and a second scheduled for 18 May to decide whether the region should join the Russian Federation or become completely independent.

Proclamation of the Luhansk People's Republic
On 27 April, protesters gathered outside the Regional Administration building to declare the existence of the "Luhansk People's Republic". They demanded that Ukrainian government provide amnesty for all protesters, enshrine Russian as an official language, and hold a referendum on the status of the region. They issued an ultimatum that stated that if Kiev did not meet their demands by 14:00 on 29 April, they would launch an insurgency in tandem with that of the Donetsk People's Republic. The Ukrainian central government did not respond to the demand before due, and some armed activists of Luhansk made attempts to seize the regional government's headquarters and prosecutor's office.

On 29 April, 2,000-3,000 protesters again stormed the regional administration building and occupied the entirety of the building. Protestors were waiving locals flags alongside those of the Russian Federation and the neighbouring Donetsk People's Republic. Police allegedly guarding the building defected and sided with the demonstrators.

Status referendum
On 11 May a referendum was held in the Luhansk region to determine ask voters whether or not they "supported declaration of state independence of the Lugansk People's Republic?". The referendum was organised by the Central Electoral Commission of the Lugansk People's Republic headed by Alexander Malykhin.

The referendum organizers claimed that 96.2% voted in favour of self-rule, with 3.8% against, on a turnout of 81%. There were no international observers to validate the referendum. Various journalists reported people voting twice or voting for absent voters.

There were claims that contacts in the Russian State Duma ordered separatists in Luhansk and Donetsk to falsify the results and voter turnout, however this is disputed.

Declaration of independence
Following the outcome of the referendum, Valeriy Bolotov declared that the Luhansk People's Republic had become an "independent state".

The Luhansk Regional Council on the other hand 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." The council also demanded an immediate end to Ukrainian military activity in the region, an amnesty for anti-Kiev protestors and the granting of Russian the status of an official language.

On 16 May, government forces captured the commander of the 'Army of the Southeast' Alexei Rilke. The next day, Ukrainian border guards arrested Valery Bolotov, the separatist governor of the eastern Ukrainian Lugansk region. However, little over two hours later, 150–200 armed separatists attacked the Dovzhansky checkpoint where he was being held, after attempted negotiations. The ensuing firefight led to the rescue of Bolotov.

Leadership

 * People's Governor: Valeriy Bolotov
 * First Deputy People's Governor: Sergei Gennadevich Tsyplakov
 * Media Spokesperson: Vasily Nikitin
 * Chief of Donbass People's Militia: German Prokopyev
 * Foreign Minister: Irin Filatova

On 13 May separatist leaders stated that Valery Bolotov was wounded in an assassination attempt, which they blamed on Ukrainian authorities.

Human rights concerns
The UN has observed an "alarming deterioration" in human rights in rebel held territory in eastern and southern Ukraine. The UN has detailed growing lawlessness, documenting cases of targeted killings, torture and abduction, carried out by Lugansk People's Republic forces in eastern Ukraine. The UN also reported highlighted threats, attacks and abductions of journalists and international observers, as well as the beatings and attacks on supporters of Ukrainian unity.

Territorial expansion
According to police sources, as of 10 May – the day before the referendum – Ukrainian forces retain control over 50% of the territory of Luhansk oblast. On 30 April Ukraine's acting President Olexander Turchynov has admitted that security structures are unable to take the situation in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions back under control.

On 29 April in Pervomaisk, activists raised on the flag of the Luhansk People's Republic on the recently overrun local administration building.

In the city of Krasnyi Luch on 30 April, the city council acceded to the demands of activists to hold a 11 May referendum, followed by the raising of the Russian flag over the council building whilst pledging their full co-operation.

Anti-Maidan Activists seized the Alchevsk city council building on 30 April.

Local militia occupied the premises of the city council of Stakhanov on 1 May followed by the storming of the local police station, business center and SBU buildings later in the week.

On 5 May activists in Rovenky briefly occupied then left the local police department.

Police headquarters in the town of Slovianoserbsk were seized by members of the Army of the South-East on 5 May.

Separatists reportedly seized the local prosecutors office in Severodonetsk on 7 May.

On 8 May supporters of the Luhansk People's Republic stormed public buildings in Starobilsk replacing Ukrainian flag with that of the Luhansk's Republic.

Cossack involvement
The town of Antratsyt was allegedly occupied on 5 May, allegedly by Don Cossacks. Although it has been alleged that the occupiers came from Russia, the Cossacks themselves denied that this was the case.