Russia claims full control of Luhansk region after capturing the capital city

Europe, News July 4, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

Ukrainian troops were forced to retreat from Lysychansk city on July 3 as Russian forces seize full control of the last major city of the Luhansk region.

Russian forces claimed full control over the Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine after capturing Lysychansk, the capital city in the region. Lysychansk acted as a stronghold for the Ukrainian forces to retaliate against Russian advances.

The Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu informed President Vladimir Putin that the city of Lysychansk has been claimed as the Luhansk region has been captured by the Russian forces.

According to the sources of the Russian Defense Minister, Russian forces captured villages around Lysychansk and encircled the city forcing the Ukrainian forces to retreat from their last holdout in the region.

Ukraine also confirmed the retreat of its forces from Lysychansk city. According to a statement released by the Ukrainian military, “The continuation of the defense of the city would lead to fatal consequences. In order to preserve the lives of Ukrainian defenders, a decision was made to withdraw.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged the withdrawal from the city in a short video address. He stated that Ukrainian forces are still fighting the Russian forces on the outskirts of the city. Zelenskyy also pledged that his forces would take the city back with modern weapons by stating that “Ukraine does not give anything back.”

Earlier this week, the officials from the Lysychansk city had reported intense artillery shelling from all sides. The Governor of Luhansk Serhiy Haidai used his official Telegram account to announce, “The Russians are strengthening their positions in the Lysychansk area, the city is on fire. They attacked the city with inexplicably brutal tactics.”

According to Haidai, the destruction in Lysychansk was even worse than in Severodonetsk, another city in the region that was largely leveled by the Russian artillery bombardment.

*^{A Russian soldier stands guard at the Luhansk power plant in the town of Shchastya, on April 13, 2022. (Image Credit: Alexander Nemenov/AFP)}*

The advancements of Russian forces in the Luhansk region mark the first time that Russia has established full control over a Ukrainian region. The capturing of Lysychansk also puts Russia closer to the Donbas region, which has been one of the most intense battlegrounds between Russian and Ukrainian forces since the invasion started in February 2022.

After capturing the Lysychansk city, it is expected that Russian forces would make advances toward Slovyansk and Kramatorsk, the biggest cities in the Donetsk region that are still under Ukrainian control.

Soon after taking control of Lysychansk, Russian forces started shelling Slovyansk which resulted in the reported death of at least six people. Ukrainian forces also reported that Russia fired rockets toward the Kramatorsk, however, no casualties were reported in that attack.