Russia claims complete control of Ukraine’s Luhansk region for first time since invasion

Russia claimed on Monday evening to have captured the entirety of Ukraine’s Luhansk region, marking a significant milestone in its illegal invasion of Ukraine that began three years ago. The claim was made by Leonid Pasechnik, the Moscow-appointed leader of Luhansk, although Fox News Digital was unable to independently verify the assertion. This marks the first time since 2022 that Russia may fully occupy an entire region in Ukraine.

Pasechnik made the claim during an interview with Russian state TV outlet Channel One, stating that he had received a report just two days prior confirming that “100%” of the region was now under Russian control. Despite this assertion, Kyiv has not yet commented on Pasechnik’s claims.

Currently, Russia is estimated to occupy less than 20% of Ukraine, including Luhansk and some 70% of other regions it has annexed. Reports have indicated that Russia has amassed approximately 50,000 troops near Ukraine’s northern border, particularly near the Sumy region, sparking concerns of another major offensive by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukrainian forces had been deployed to the Sumy region in anticipation of a potential Russian offensive. While the situation remains tense, President Donald Trump stated that he is closely monitoring the developments.

Despite efforts by Trump to broker a ceasefire and end the conflict, Putin has rejected all attempts and escalated the war efforts in Ukraine. Russia recently launched over 5,300 kamikaze drones in mass attacks, setting a new record for drone usage in a single month. European nations have continued to support Ukraine, but U.S. support has been inconsistent under the Biden administration.

Efforts to establish a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia have stalled, with little communication reported between Washington and Moscow. Trump believes that Putin is seeking a way to end the conflict, but NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte warned that Putin may have ambitions beyond Ukraine and could potentially target other parts of Europe in the coming years.

Trump previously gave Putin a two-week deadline to show commitment to ending the war, but the deadline has passed without clear next steps from the U.S. government. It remains to be seen how Trump plans to address the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and potential future engagements with Putin.