Editing Donbas (section)

==== Full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine ====
{{Main|Eastern Ukraine campaign}}
On 21 February 2022, Russia officially recognised the [[International recognition of the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic|independence of the Donetsk and Luhansk]] republics,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60468237|title=Russia recognises Ukraine separatist regions as independent states|date=21 February 2022 |publisher=BBC News|access-date=21 February 2022|archive-date=21 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220221205402/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60468237|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Locals in Ukraine breakaway regions recount short-lived joy, hope |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/3/1/residents-of-ukraines-breakaways-recount-short-lived-joy-hope |publisher=Al Jazeera|date=1 March 2022}}</ref> effectively killing the [[Minsk agreements]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rathke |first=Jeff |date=27 February 2022 |title=Putin Accidentally Started a Revolution in Germany |language=en-US |work=Foreign Policy |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/02/27/putin-war-ukraine-germany-scholz-revolution/ |access-date=2022-03-03}}</ref> Russia subsequently launched a new, [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine|full-scale invasion of Ukraine]] on 24 February 2022, which Russian president [[Vladimir Putin]] said was intended to "protect" the people of the Donbas from the "abuse" and "genocide" of the Ukrainian government.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Russia launches "full-scale invasion" of Ukraine, sparks international outcry |work=Kyodo News |url=https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2022/02/38c884e2b35b-russia-vows-strong-response-to-us-sanctions-amid-ukraine-crisis.html |access-date=2022-03-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Ukraine-Russia crisis: Ukraine: Russia has launched 'full-scale invasion'|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-europe-60454795|access-date=2022-02-24|publisher=BBC News|language=en-gb}}</ref> However, Putin's claims have been refuted.<ref>{{cite news |title=Putin's claims that Ukraine is committing genocide are baseless, but not unprecedented |url=https://theconversation.com/putins-claims-that-ukraine-is-committing-genocide-are-baseless-but-not-unprecedented-177511 |work=[[The Conversation (website)|The Conversation]] |date=25 February 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=PolitiFact – Vladimir Putin repeats false claim of genocide in Ukraine |language=en-US |url=https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2022/feb/25/vladimir-putin/putin-repeats-long-running-claim-genocide-ukraine/ |access-date=2022-03-03|location=Washington, DC}}</ref> The DPR and LPR joined Russia's operation; the separatists stated that an operation to capture the entirety of Donetsk Oblast and Luhansk Oblast had begun.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|last1=Troianovski|first1=Anton|last2=MacFarquhar|first2=Neil|date=2022-02-23|title=Ukraine Live Updates: Russia Begins Invasion From Land and Sea|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/02/24/world/russia-ukraine-putin|access-date=2022-02-24|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

On 18 April 2022, the [[Battle of Donbas (2022)|battle of Donbas]] began, a Russian offensive in mid-2022 within the larger [[eastern Ukraine campaign]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.firstpost.com/world/battle-of-donbas-begins-why-russia-has-turned-its-attention-to-east-of-ukraine-10577811.html|title=Battle of Donbas begins: Why Russia has turned its attention to east of Ukraine|work=[[Firstpost]]|date=20 April 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/ukraine-says-battle-donbas-has-begun-russia-pushing-east-2022-04-18|title=Ukraine says 'Battle of Donbas' has begun, Russia pushing in east|work=[[Reuters]]|date=18 April 2022 }}</ref>

By September 2024, Russia had control of about 80% of the region.<ref>{{cite web|work=[[Reuters]]|title=Russian forces storming east Ukrainian town of Vuhledar, bloggers and media say|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-forces-storming-ukrainian-town-vuhledar-bloggers-media-say-2024-09-24/|date=25 September 2024}}</ref>