Volume 1 of Ukraine War focuses on the armed formations of the Donetsk
People's Republic (DPR), the largest of the two separatist entities in
the east of Ukraine. Armed formations of the Donetsk People's Republic
aims to provide an overview of their formation in 2014, their status up
to the end of February 2022, and combat equipment, while also exploring
issues around identity and symbology.
Loosely confederated with the armed formations of the neighboring
Luhansk People's Republic into the so-called 'United Armed Forces of
Novorossiya', in reality the armed formations of the Donetsk People's
Republic have retained a degree of autonomy over their units and
planning. Often dismissed in existing literature as mere proxy
extensions of Russian forces, since their formation in the fighting in
eastern Ukraine during 2014 the armed formations of the Donetsk People's
Republic have developed into an integrated fighting force with more main
battle tanks than several major Western military powers combined. The
title also details some of the key military commanders who have shaped
the armed formations of the Donetsk People's Republic since 2014.
One area of focus of the title explores the unusual and little-known
'home grown' military technological developments made by the Donetsk
People's Republic, including multiple launch rocket systems, armored
vehicles, sniper rifles, small arms and remote weapons stations.
The emerging visual propaganda culture around the armed formations of
the Donetsk People's Republic is also explored, with military glory and
fallen personnel commemorated in large scale military parades, murals,
monuments and even postage stamps.
Ukraine War Volume 1: Armed formations of the Donetsk People's
Republic also presents a wealth of unique visual material including
unit patches, a selection of unique photographs, diagrams and maps, and
will be of interest to anyone studying the conflict in Ukraine.
