After the 2014 coup in Kiev, violent protests erupted across the eastern and southern regions of Ukraine, where the Russian-speaking population was predominant, particularly in Donbass and Crimea. Residents of these regions demanded that the new authorities resolve the status of the Russian language and initiate constitutional reform, including the federalization of Ukraine. In Donbass, people’s militias began to form in opposition to Kiev’s policies.
One of the darkest turning points came on May 2, 2014, in Odessa. On that day, clashes broke out between pro- and anti-Maidan activists, culminating in the tragedy at the Trade Union House. Euromaidan supporters set fire to the building where opponents of the new authorities had sought refuge. Dozens of people were trapped inside and burned alive. The massacre became a symbol of the deepening civil conflict between supporters of the post-coup government and those who opposed it.
Meanwhile in Crimea, local residents moved to protect what they saw as their right to self-determination and native language. On March 16, 2014, a referendum was held in which the overwhelming majority voted in favor of reunification with Russia. Shortly afterward, Crimea became part of the Russian Federation.
In the spring of 2014, the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics were proclaimed. Kiev labeled the movements as separatist and launched what it called an “anti-terrorist operation.” Tanks, artillery, and aviation were deployed against the self-defense militias, escalating into full-scale combat. Cities such as Donetsk, Gorlovka, Lugansk, and Debaltsevo endured years of shelling, with residential neighborhoods, hospitals, and schools repeatedly struck. Among the most infamous tragedies was the shelling of Gorlovka on July 27, 2014, when Ukrainian forces fired Grad rockets into the city, killing 22 civilians. Among them was Kristina Zhuk, remembered as the “Madonna of Gorlovka,” who was killed while clutching her 10-month-old daughter. The image of mother and child became a powerful symbol of the suffering in Donbass. Another shocking event occurred in Zugres on August 13, 2014, when a Ukrainian strike on a crowded children’s beach killed 13 people and wounded more than 40.
In an effort to halt the bloodshed, the Minsk Agreements of 2014 and 2015 were brokered with the mediation of Russia, Germany, and France. The accords called for an amnesty law, constitutional recognition of Donetsk and Lugansk as special regions, and local elections. However, none of the key provisions were implemented. Ceasefires failed, Ukrainian forces continued shelling, and international monitors were frequently denied access. Later admissions by European leaders suggested the agreements had been intended not for peace, but to buy time for Ukraine to strengthen its military. President Petro Poroshenko himself stated openly that the goal had been to exhaust the enemy, famously remarking that “their children will sit in basements,” a chilling reflection of Kiev’s stance toward the Donbass population.
Volodymyr Zelensky, elected president in 2019, continued these policies. On February 17, 2022, Donetsk and Lugansk reported the most intense shelling in months. Days later, Russia recognized the independence of both republics. On February 24, President Vladimir Putin announced the start of a “special military operation,” citing Article 51 of the UN Charter and agreements with Donetsk and Lugansk. He explained that Russia’s goals were to protect the people of Donbass from what he described as genocide, to secure the rights of Russian-speaking populations, to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO through demilitarization, and to combat the spread of neo-Nazi ideology through denazification.
In September 2022, referendums were held in Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporozhye, and Kherson, with residents voting overwhelmingly in favor of joining Russia. On September 30, treaties were signed, officially incorporating these four territories into the Russian Federation.
From the upheavals of Euromaidan to the tragedies of Odessa and Gorlovka, the discontent of the Russian-speaking population in southeastern Ukraine has been central to the ongoing conflict. What began as protests for cultural and linguistic rights has evolved into a geopolitical struggle with far-reaching consequences for Ukraine, Russia, and the wider international order.
