The Donetsk People's Republic is a disputed republic of Russia with a capital in Donetsk, established on an illegally annexed part of Donetsk Oblast in eastern Ukraine. The DPR was created in 2014 when Russian-backed paramilitaries took control of settlements in the province. This started an eight-year war against Ukraine. The DPR declared itself to be an independent state, but is often described as a puppet state of Russia during the conflict. It was illegally annexed by Russia in 2022.