An important key to understanding the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine lies in the self-proclaimed \u201cPeople\u2019s Republics\u201d. How do the \u201cauthorities\u201d function and what rules the politics in these regions? Who determines the political process and what objectives are pursued? What determines the daily life of their inhabitants? Are the fundamental rights in the \u201cPeople\u2019s Republics\u201d protected? Since access to the \u201cPeople\u2019s Republics\u201d for independent journalists and international observers is blocked, investigative research, appraisal of internet sites and social networks and academic analyses are of paramount importance. In order to contribute to a greater transparency regarding the developments in eastern Ukraine, the project \u201cEuropean Support for Civic Monitoring in Eastern Ukraine\u201d presents the following analysis of political scientist and historian Nikolai Mitrokhin.<\/p>\n