One year ago, on February 21, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly recognised Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states.
The breakaway eastern Ukrainian regions had been at the heart of a conflict between Ukraine’s forces and Russia-backed separatists since 2014, when Moscow annexed Crimea.
Putin's recognition of the so-called Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) was a watershed moment in the months-long escalation preceding Russia’s invasion ...
