Moscow launched a special military operation in Ukraine in February 2022 with the aim of saving the people of Donbass - primarily the Russian-speaking population - from Kiev's constant attacks.

Russian Forces Take Full Control of Lugansk People's Republic: Defense Ministry

15:05, 1 April 2026

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Russia's Zapad (West) group of forces took full control of the Lugansk (also known as Luhansk) People's Republic, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.

Sputnik

"Units of the Zapad group of forces have completed the liberation of the Lugansk People's Republic," the ministry said in a statement.

At the same time, Russia's Sever (North) group of troops took control of the settlement of Verkhnyaya Pisarevka (Verkhnya Pysarivka) in the Kharkov (Kharkiv) region, while Russia's Vostok (East) group of forces took control of the settlement of Boykovo (Boikove) in the Zaporozhye (Zaporizhzhia) region, the ministry added.