Moscow (BN24) – Russia’s occupation authorities in eastern Ukraine declared Monday that Moscow’s forces have seized control of the entirety of the Luhansk region—one of four Ukrainian territories Russia illegally annexed in 2022, despite never fully holding them.
If confirmed, the claim would mark the first time in more than three years of war that Russian troops have established complete military control over an entire annexed region.
Leonid Pasechnik, the Moscow-installed head of occupied Luhansk, announced the development in an interview with Russia’s Channel One. He said he was informed “literally two days ago” that “100%” of Luhansk is now under Russian control. Kyiv has not publicly responded to the claim, and independent verification was not immediately possible.
The declaration underscores Russian President Vladimir Putin’s refusal to back down from demands that Kyiv cede the four regions Moscow claims as Russian territory. Putin has repeatedly rejected calls for a ceasefire or withdrawal, even as international diplomatic initiatives, including recent U.S.-backed talks, have failed to advance negotiations.
Russia’s claim came the same day Germany’s top diplomat, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, arrived in Kyiv to demonstrate support and promote new arms manufacturing partnerships aimed at boosting Ukraine’s defense capacity.
Standing alongside Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Wadephul emphasized that bolstering Ukraine’s defense industry is essential to improving its leverage in any future peace talks.
“When Putin speaks of peace today, it is pure mockery,” Wadephul said at a news conference. “His apparent readiness to negotiate is only a facade so far.”
Wadephul, joined by German defense industry executives, said Germany intends to help Ukraine launch new joint ventures that could produce weapons faster and at scale.
“We want to build new joint ventures so that Ukraine itself can produce faster and more for its own defense,” he said. “Our arms cooperation is a real trump card, a logical continuation of our delivery of material.”
Germany is Ukraine’s second-largest military backer after the United States, where uncertainty over continued aid has intensified Ukraine’s sense of vulnerability.
The visit followed Russia’s largest combined aerial assault on Ukraine to date. Over the weekend, Ukrainian officials reported waves of drone and missile strikes across the country.
Ukraine’s air force said it detected 107 Russian Shahed drones and decoys overnight—part of what analysts described as an effort to deplete Ukrainian air defenses before launching cruise and ballistic missile attacks.
“Russia is continuing to use increasingly large numbers of drones in its overnight strike packages in order to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses,” the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War reported.
In Kharkiv, Russian strikes killed at least two civilians and injured eight more, including a 6-year-old child, according to regional governor Oleh Syniehubov.
Foreign Minister Sybiha urged Berlin to accelerate delivery of additional antimissile systems, calling air defense “the key” to protecting Ukrainian cities and morale.
“The Russians are attacking civilian targets in order to create panic,” Sybiha said.
Despite deepening military cooperation, Berlin has so far refused to supply Kyiv with Taurus long-range missiles—capable of striking targets deep inside Russia—citing fears of escalating the war and triggering a wider NATO conflict.
Instead, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has pledged to support Ukraine in developing its own long-range weapons systems, which would be exempt from Western-imposed restrictions on use.
Russia’s potential full control of Luhansk underscores the continued risk of further Ukrainian territorial losses if international military assistance wanes. Moscow’s announcement highlights its determination to entrench occupation while grinding down Ukraine’s resources and civilian resilience with near-daily bombardment.
As fighting stretches into a fourth year with no sign of peace, Ukrainian and Western leaders warn that Russia’s latest gains illustrate why support must not weaken.
