Publication

This paper examines Russia’s relationship with pro-Moscow fighters in the violence-torn Donbas region of Ukraine. Among the questions it grapples with, four stand out. Who are the separatist fighters in the oblast; how and to what extent does Russia control them; and how has Moscow’s relations with the secessionists changed over time? Second, what’s the potential socio-political impact of Russian fighters returning home from Eastern Ukraine? And further, to what extent are these combatants an obstacle to future peace? Finally, what impact will the Donbas imbroglio continue to have on NATO and its eastern flank?