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In April 2014, armed pro-Russian separatists seized government buildings in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region and proclaimed the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR) as independent states, starting the Donbas war. The separatists received considerable but covert support from Russia, and Ukrainian attempts to fully retake separatist-held areas failed. Although Russia denied involvement, Russian troops took part in the fighting.
