Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said the entire eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk was “liberated” on Sunday morning. Earlier, Russian forces and their allied Ukrainian separatists had completely captured the strategically important city of Lysychansk. More than 100,000 people used to live in Lysychansk. The neighboring city of Sievjerodonetsk had already been conquered by Russia.
“Successful combat operations by the Russian armed forces together with the units of the Luhansk People’s Republic ensured full control of the city of Lysychansk and a number of nearby settlements,” Interfax said in the minister’s statement. Within a day, their own troops would have captured 182 square kilometers of the region.
The alleged capture was not initially confirmed by the Ukrainian side. The General Staff in Kiev had only announced that Russian troops were in the city in the morning and were trying to expand their positions.
Region fought hard for months
Lysychansk is so far the last major Ukrainian bastion in the Luhansk region, which together with Donetsk forms the Donbass. Fierce fighting raged in the region for months. After being rebuffed in its bid to take the Ukrainian capital Kiev, Russia turned its efforts to the east. The conquest of the area had been declared an important war objective by the Russian side from the outset. The Russian war of aggression against the neighboring country has now been going on for more than four months.
Explosions in Russian city of Belgorod
Meanwhile, according to the region’s governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, three people have been killed in explosions in the Russian city of Belgorod, near the border with Ukraine. Four other people were injured, including a 10-year-old child. At least 11 condominiums and 39 private homes were damaged. The causes of the incident would be investigated.
Almost 400,000 people live in Belgorod. The city is located more than 40 kilometers north of the border with Ukraine and is the administrative center of the region of the same name. Since the Russian invasion, there have been repeated reports of attacks in Belgorod and other areas close to the border. Moscow accuses Ukraine of being behind the attacks. The Kiev government has not claimed responsibility, but has described the incidents as receipt and karma for the Russian invasion.
Besides Belgorod, other Russian regions – including Kursk and Bryansk – repeatedly accuse the Ukrainian side of shelling. Kiev usually does not comment on the allegations.
Attacks on Russian military bases in Melitopol
Meanwhile, Ukrainian attacks were reported from the Russian-occupied city of Melitopol in southern Ukraine. More than 30 projectiles were fired at one of four Russian military bases in the city, Ukraine’s Melitopol mayor Ivan Fyodorov said in a video address on Sunday. So the base was put out of action. According to Fyodorov, military equipment and several fuel depots were affected. As a result, the explosions continued for hours after the attacks.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
