KYIV, Ukraine โ A top Russian-appointed official in the Luhansk region of Ukraine, which fell under Russian occupation, announced on Monday that Russian forces now control the entirety of the region. Luhansk is one of four areas Russia illegally claimed in September 2022, even though full control had not been established by Moscow prior to this announcement.
The confirmation of this claim would indicate that Luhansk is the first Ukrainian region completely occupied by Russia after over three years of ongoing conflict. This complicates the recent peace efforts led by the United States, which have not yet succeeded in stopping the hostilities. Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed calls for a ceasefire and remains firm on demands, including holding control over the annexed regions.
There was no immediate response from Kyiv to the assertions made by Leonid Pasechnik, the Moscow-endorsed leader of the region. Pasechnik, on Russiaโs state Channel One TV, mentioned he received a report recently indicating that Russian forces now have โ100%โ control over Luhansk.
In a related development, Germanyโs foreign minister visited Kyiv with a pledge to bolster Ukraineโs defense capabilities by helping it produce weapons more swiftly. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, accompanied by German defense industry representatives, emphasized Germanyโs goal to enable Ukraine to negotiate more confidently with Moscowโs representatives.
โTodayโs statements from Putin about peace are pure deception,โ Wadephul remarked during a press interaction with Ukraineโs Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. โHis expression of readiness to engage in peace talks is nothing but a front.โ
With Russiaโs military actions showing no signs of abating, the conflict continues as a bitter war of attrition along a 1,000-kilometer front line, with direct strikes on Ukrainian civilian locales claiming numerous lives. On the battlefield, Ukraine is outmatched in terms of firepower and manpower, and the international support it receives has been crucial in countering Russiaโs larger military and economic strength.
โWe aim to develop new collaborative enterprises allowing Ukraine to manufacture more quickly for its defense needs,โ Wadephul stated beside Sybiha. โOur growing arms collaboration lays a firm foundation, building on existing material support. Both of us stand to gain from each otherโs expertise and innovative spirit.โ
During his visit, Wadephul was scheduled to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as well.
Wadephulโs visit occurred shortly after Russia executed its largest aerial assault against Ukraine so far. The airstrikes, which targeted various locations, dimmed any hopes for advancing the stalled peace negotiations. According to Ukraineโs air force, 107 Russian Shahed and decoy drones were identified in the countryโs airspace Sunday night.
Devastation caused by strikes in Ukraineโs northeastern region of Kharkiv resulted in two civilian fatalities and left eight others, including a 6-year-old child, injured, reported Oleh Syniehubov, the regional governor.
The Institute for the Study of War claims that these air raids are part of Russiaโs strategy to strong-arm Ukraine into submission. The think tank indicated that โRussia is employing large numbers of drones to saturate Ukraineโs defenses, paving the way for subsequent missile barrages.โ
โThese intensive strikes are an outcome of Russia ramping up its defense production, especially focusing on Shahed drones, decoys, and ballistic missiles,โ the Institute observed.
Sybiha expressed gratitude to Germany for their role in enhancing Ukraineโs air defenses, urging Berlin to supply more antimissile systems. โAttacks on our civilian sites are designed to foster panic and undermine our populationโs morale,โ he stated, underscoring that effective air defenses are essential.
However, Germany has expressed hesitation over Ukraineโs appeal for the provision of long-range Taurus missiles, which are German- and Swedish-made. These weapons could be capable of hitting Russian territory, heightening concerns that it may provoke increased aggression from the Kremlin and could potentially implicate NATO directly in Europeโs greatest military conflict since World War II.
In May, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz committed to assisting Ukraine in developing its independent long-range missile systems. These systems would be free from any restrictions imposed by Western nations regarding their deployment or targeting.