I think the answer isn’t so clear cut and dry. The truth is, it’s disputed.

Here are some questions we should ask: “ Ukraine regards both the DPR and the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) as terrorist organisations.” - Now why would the people side with a government that deems them a terrorist organization? That’s a little strange..

- Why is the official currency used in DPR and LPR the Russian ruble? Again, strange for a people that wish to be independent from Russia.

Why is the official timezone used in DPR and LPR UTC+3 (Moscow time) Again, strange for a people that wish to be independent from Russia.