Russia Claims Full Control of Luhansk Region

The Russian Defence Ministry announced it has taken complete control of the Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine, despite Ukrainian and Western rejection of Russia's land claims. The reported shift in control remains unverified by independent sources, and Ukraine insists no changes have occurred recently in that area.

The Russian Defence Ministry declared on Wednesday that its military has achieved full control over the Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine. This development implies Russia has taken command of a contentious area lingering beyond its control since 2022.

This claim, however, has not been independently verified by Reuters. A Ukrainian military spokesperson stated that there have been no changes on the battlefield in this area for the past six months. Luhansk, part of the Donbas area, is one of the four regions Russia claimed in 2022, a move largely dismissed by Kyiv and Western nations as an illegal land seizure.

The Kremlin has renewed its call for Ukrainian forces to withdraw from Donetsk, a demand continuously rejected by Kyiv. Meanwhile, Russian forces have reportedly gained control over new areas in Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia, though these claims also lack independent verification.

(With inputs from agencies.)