Russia has finally taken full control of the entire Luhansk region, marking the first time since 2014 that a Ukrainian region is completely under Russian control. This comes more than three years after President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Leonid Pasechnik, head of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic, confirmed that the 26,000 square kilometer region is now fully liberated and under Russian control. This is a major geopolitical shakeup as Luhansk is the first Ukrainian region to fall entirely under Russian control since the annexation of Crimea in 2014.
In September 2022, Putin declared Luhansk, along with Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions, as part of Russia, although most of the world does not recognize this. Ukraine continues to claim these territories as part of its sovereign land and will never recognize Russian sovereignty over them. Russia, on the other hand, claims these territories are now part of Russia and will protect them even with nuclear weapons.
This development comes as German Foreign Minister Johan Wadeful visited Kyiv and stated that Germany aims to help Ukraine produce weapons faster and strengthen its position in peace talks with Russia. Wadeful also criticized Putin, calling his statements about willingness for peace a mere “facade” and mockery.
Historically, Luhansk was part of the Russian Empire and after the revolution became part of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. Since 2014, after the ousting of pro-Russian President Yanukovych, the region has been a hotspot of conflict between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces, supported by Russia. Currently, Russia controls about 19% of internationally recognized Ukrainian territory, including the entire Luhansk region, over 70% of Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions, and parts of other areas.
This escalation of conflict and territorial claims further complicates the situation in the region and raises tensions between Russia and the West. As the world watches these dramatic changes, the question of peace and stability in Ukraine remains far from resolved. So, what do you think — is this the end of Ukraine’s territorial integrity or just the start of a new phase of conflict? Drop your thoughts, let’s see who’s on which side in this geopolitical soap opera!
