KABUL: Russia’s Defense Ministry has again claimed that its forces have taken full control of the self-proclaimed Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine.
According to the Moscow Times, the ministry said on Wednesday that all areas of Luhansk are now under Russian control, describing the move as a “liberation.”
Following the announcement, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy should consider withdrawing forces from neighboring Donetsk, another key industrial area in the Donbas region.
“This could save many lives and, most importantly, bring an end to the active phase of the war,” Peskov told reporters.
Ukrainian officials have not yet commented on the claim.
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, this marks at least the third time Moscow has claimed full control over Luhansk, with similar assertions made in mid-2022 and 2025.
Russia claims full control of Eastern Ukraine’s Luhansk region
