Russia Claims Full Capture of Luhansk Region: What’s Known About Ukraine’s Actual Control.

Luhansk Region Under Occupation

According to TSN.ua: Russian authorities have declared the complete occupation of the Luhansk region, a territory that was partially seized in 2022. This area holds significant strategic value for Moscow, yet open-source intelligence indicates that portions of it remain under the control of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU).

On April 1, 2023, the Russian government officially announced the 'full occupation' of Luhansk Oblast. The region has been a focal point of military operations since 2022, when the initial phase of its capture began. In March 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged that 15–17% of Donetsk region remained under AFU control, highlighting ongoing hostilities in the area.

Current Situation in Luhansk

In June 2023, Leonid Pasechnik, the self-proclaimed head of the Luhansk People’s Republic, claimed that Russian forces had '100% liberated' the territory of the LPR. However, available evidence shows that the Third Army Corps of the AFU, known as 'Azov,' continues to hold ground in Luhansk. Specifically, an area southwest of Svatove remains under Ukrainian control.

Additionally, powerful explosions were reported in the temporarily occupied city of Dovzhansk in Luhansk. This indicates that the situation in the region remains volatile, with combat operations persisting despite Russian assertions of full territorial control.

Thus, while Russia has declared the complete occupation of Luhansk Oblast, the actual conditions on the ground reveal that part of the territory is still held by Ukrainian forces, underscoring the complexity and fluidity of the conflict in this region.

These events highlight the continuation of military operations in Ukraine, where the struggle for territory endures despite official claims of control. Luhansk, a strategically important region, remains a battleground between Russian troops and the AFU. The situation there could influence the conflict’s trajectory and international relations, as global powers continue to monitor developments in eastern Ukraine.