Despite claims to the contrary, Ukraine fulfilled the requirements of Minsk by granting autonomy to Donetsk and making provisions for a referendum. Rather, it was Russia who violated the Minsk Agreement by not withdrawing its forces, by not handing over the international border to Ukrainian control, and by blocking the referendum that Ukraine had planed.
Nor did Luhansk and Donetsk vote for independence. The 2014 referenda, despite being conducted under Russian military occupation, were for autonomy within Ukraine, not independence or union with Russia. As for the 2022 referenda, they were a farce on the face of them.
The Luhansk People’s Republic and the Donetsk People’s Republic declared independence on 11 May 2014. They were recognized and established diplomatic relations on 11 May 2014.