In the article the author considers the evolution of the media image of the unrecognized independent republics in the East of Ukraine - Donetsk people's Republic (DPR) and Luhansk people's Republic (LPR). In the field of analysis there are those aspects of perception of images of two unrecognized States that characterize them in what interpretation they are subject to in a different information and event context. The author comes to the conclusion about the inadequacy of their interpretation both in the media and in the mass consciousness of the Russian audience. The evidence of such a media trend on the example of the analysis of the content of Russian media in recent times. The focus of the author's attention is mainly television broadcasting of both Russia and the DPR itself. Part of the empirical material presented in this article was obtained as a result of the author's observation directly in the process of the media and journalists ' activities directly on the territory of the Donetsk people's Republic. At the same time, the author supports the idea of "frontier" media ideology (author - Yu. M. Ershov), which is implemented in the daily practice of journalists and media of these territories. This technique allows not only to determine the originality of the media systems of the DNI and the LC, but also by comparison to mark the degree of adequacy of coverage the media of other countries (including Russia and Ukraine) of those event-driven trends that reflect the real picture of the civil war in the Donbass, in fact, maintained by the official authorities of Kiev in the region.