TASS FACTBOX. On September 30, Russia celebrates the Day of Reunification of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), Lugansk People's Republic (LPR), the Zaporozhye Region, and Kherson Region with Russia. This date was established on September 28, 2023, in accordance with amendments to the federal law On Days of Military Glory and Memorable Dates in Russia. It has been celebrated annually since 2023. On this day in 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin and the heads of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, and the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions signed international agreements on the accession of these regions to Russia.
Following the 2014 coup d'etat in Ukraine, orchestrated by supporters of European integration, the population of the country's southeastern regions, primarily Russian-speaking, refused to recognize the new authorities. Mass protests erupted in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions. A people's militia was formed. Clashes between the Ukrainian army and nationalist groups with militia units escalated into a full-scale military standoff, involving heavy armored vehicles and aircraft.
On April 7, 2014, the republican People's Council declared the independence of the Donetsk People's Republic. On April 27, the Lugansk People's Republic was proclaimed at a rally in Lugansk. On May 11 of that year, referendums on the status of the republics were held in Donbass, with 89.7% of votes in the Donetsk Region and 96.2% in the Lugansk Region cast for self-determination. On May 12, 2014, the state sovereignty of the people's republics was proclaimed.
