The governor of the Russian-occupied Luhansk region in Ukraine announced on Tuesday that the area has been completely conquered by Russian forces. This makes Luhansk the first of the four regions Russia has annexed to be fully under its control. Leonid Pasechnik shared this news during an interview on Russia’s Channel One, stating that the territory of the Luhansk People’s Republic is now "100 percent liberated."
However, not everyone agrees with this claim. Some Russian military reporters have pointed out that two villages in the region are still free. They also noted that Luhansk was previously declared conquered in 2022 but was partially reclaimed by Ukrainian forces during a counteroffensive in September of that year.
Despite the differing opinions, it is clear that Russian troops have made significant progress in taking control of Luhansk over the past 33 months. This announcement comes at a challenging time for Ukraine, as it faces continued pressure from Russian advances. On the same day, the United States announced it would not send some promised weapons to Ukraine, citing a need to prioritize its own military interests.
Recent developments show that Russian forces have also made strides in the Donetsk region. Over the weekend of June 7-8, they reached the border of the Dnipropetrovsk region, marking a significant territorial gain. Although about a third of Donetsk remains under Ukrainian control, this advance highlights the ongoing conflict’s slow but steady nature.
Russian officials have stated that their military operations aim to establish a buffer zone within Ukraine, extending 70 to 120 kilometers deep. This notion has been discussed before, with some suggesting that such a zone would help protect Russian territories from Ukrainian counterattacks.
While Russia has officially annexed Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhia, and Kherson, President Vladimir Putin has expressed intentions to regard all of Ukraine as Russian territory. This raises concerns that the idea of buffer zones is merely a pretext for further territorial expansion.
On the Ukrainian side, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the country’s withdrawal from the Ottawa Treaty, which bans antipersonnel landmines. This move will allow Ukraine to manufacture and use such mines for its defense.
Despite the challenges, Ukraine has also achieved some tactical successes. Ukrainian drones recently targeted Russian military installations, claiming to have destroyed several helicopters and fighter jets. The conflict continues to evolve, with both sides adapting their strategies in response to the changing battlefield dynamics.