In recent years, Donbas has become the focus of intense public debate and scholarly attention as a region where the consequences of historical, social, and political transformations have been especially pronounced. This comprehensive study examines the historical experience of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, highlighting the effects of rapid industrial growth, painful economic stagnation, large-scale migration processes, and the formation of a multiethnic environment that profoundly shaped the region’s identity and historical memory.

Particular attention is devoted to the origins and persistence of Soviet mythologies such as the “Donbas people,” the “all-Union stoker,” and the “melting pot,” which for decades influenced perceptions of Donbas both within Ukraine and beyond. Employing an interdisciplinary methodological approach, the authors provide an in-depth analysis of the events of the Russian-Ukrainian hybrid war, the factors that enabled the success of the separatist scenario and the creation of quasi-state entities, and the possible strategies for overcoming the social and cultural consequences of the conflict.

The publication is intended for a wide readership.

Third edition, revised.

720 pages. Hardcover.