Book Launch: Rebel Militias in Eastern Ukraine

About the book:

"Rebel Militias in Eastern Ukraine: From Leaderless Groups to Proxy Army" authored by Martin Laryš, presents an extensive exploration of the rebel militias in eastern Ukraine that developed from disorganised and fragmented armed groups into Russia’s proxy army. Drawing upon meticulous research and scholarly analysis, Dr Laryš offers a concept of leaderless rebellion by focusing on the extreme fragmentation of (pro-)Russian rebel militias and their pre-existing weak social ties. 

The book provides a nuanced perspective on the internal dynamics that shaped the conflict; it seeks to make a significant and valuable contribution to the ongoing discussion of the origins of the conflict in eastern Ukraine and the role of Russia in this war. It is essential to comprehend the events of 2014–2015 in eastern Ukraine, as they laid the groundwork for the developments in 2022 when Putin decided to large-scale re-invasion of Ukraine. This understanding is crucial for discerning comparable patterns in other contexts, notably in Russia's potential delegation of rebellion in other countries, including the NATO member states.

The new book not only outlines the dynamics of the leaderless rebellion in the Donbas from fragmented rebel groups into centralized proxy armed forces in 2014–2022 but also elucidates how Russia could orchestrate the rebellion in Ukraine without exerting tight and direct control over the extremely fragmented rebel militias, challenging a notion that Russia played a secondary role in the initial stage of the war.

Speakers:

Author: Martin Laryš (Deputy Research Director, Institute of International Relations)

Discussant: Karel Svoboda (Assistant Professor, Institute of International Studies, Charles University)

Chair: Mats Braun (Director, Institute of International Relations)

To participate, please register below. We look forward to hosting you!