Political party in Ukraine
The Social Movement "Donetsk Republic" (Russian: Общественное движение «Донецкая республика», romanized: Obshchestvennoye dvizheniye «Donetskaya respublika»; ODDR) is a pro-Russian separatist political movement operating in the Donetsk region of Ukraine. Before its annexation, the movement's goal was the creation of a "federation of sovereign Donetsk", which would include seven regions of eastern and southern Ukraine.[5][6] The group was banned in 2007, but this ban was marginal until the 2014 Donbas war. In 2014, it founded the Donetsk People's Republic, which Ukraine's government deems a terrorist organization.[7] The movement won the 2014 Donbas general elections with 68.53% of the vote and 68 seats,[8] which were condemned as illegitimate and a violation of the Minsk ceasefire agreements between Ukraine, Russia, and the OSCE.[8]
History
Before the Russo-Ukrainian War
The organization was established on 6 December 2005 as a city organization by Andrei Purguin, Alexander Tsurkan, and Oleh Frolov and on 9 December 2005 with support of Hennadiy Prytkov as a regional organization. The main goal of the organization was to grant the eastern regions of Ukraine a special status.[9] It claimed to fight the "orange plague" of President Viktor Yushchenko.[9] Their goal was to create a Federal Republic of Donetsk in Southeast Ukraine.[10] According to a map they published in 2006, this Federal Republic of Donetsk would comprise the Ukrainian Oblasts Kharkiv Oblast, Luhansk Oblast, Donetsk Oblast, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Zaporizhia Oblast and Kherson Oblast.[10]
Prior to the spring of 2014, the organization drew little support and remained on the margins of local politics. [11] Its pre-2014 rallies were averagely attended by about 30–50 people.[9] From 17 to 22 November 2006, its activists were conducting protests in Donetsk and were gathering signatures on creation of the Donetsk Republic.[12] Their activities were not supported by the prime minister, Viktor Yanukovych.[13] At the beginning of 2007, representatives of the organization conducted number of activities in various cities of eastern Ukraine propagating the idea of separatism and federalization of the country.[14]
Russo-Ukrainian War
In 2014, the organization founded the Donetsk People's Republic, which Ukraine's government deems a terrorist organization.[7]
The group's leader, Andrei Purgin, was arrested by the Security Service of Ukraine during the 2014 pro-Russian unrest.[5][6]
The movement won the 2014 Donbas general elections with 68.53% of the vote and 68 seats.[8] The Communist Party of the Donetsk People's Republic participates in the Donetsk Republic's parliamentary group.[15] In the election campaign prior to these elections only the candidate of Donetsk Republic, Alexander Zakharchenko, used billboards.[16] This resulted to the only visible campaign advertising in Donetsk being in support of Zakharchenko.[17]
In the days and weeks prior until the postponement of the DNR October 2015 local elections (to 21 February 2016[18]) 90% of the (campaign) advertising was done by Donetsk Republic.[19]
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