The pro-Russian fighters are well-armed and dressed, and under a unified command. Some division leaders may act too much on their own, but I would not call these rebels "rag-tag."

With the formation of the Donetsk Peoples Republic, and the Lugansk Peoples Republic, now merged into the Federal State of Novorossiya, they are the advance forces of the Russian takeover of the eastern part of Ukraine.

Igor Girkin is in charge of the military forces.

The region is known as Donbass to Russians, and by them has long been considered an integral part of Russia.