Russia now claims full control of Ukraine’s Luhansk region—its first completely occupied territory since the 2022 invasion. Leonid Pasechnik, Moscow’s installed leader in Luhansk, declared the region “100% liberated” on Russian state TV. If confirmed, this marks a major shift in battlefield control. President Putin has rejected ceasefire calls and insists all four annexed regions—including Luhansk—will remain Russian forever. Ukraine, yet to respond, continues to reject all claims of Russian sovereignty over occupied territory.
