Finance
Russia Says Its Troops Have Taken Full Control of Luhansk Region in Eastern Ukraine
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 1, 2026
2 min readLast updated: April 1, 2026
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Quick Summary
Russia’s Defence Ministry on April 1, 2026, claimed its troops now control the entirety of Ukraine’s Luhansk region, long held almost entirely by Moscow since 2022, though independent verification remains lacking.
Russia says its troops have taken full control of Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine
Russian Military Advances and Regional Control
Russian Defence Ministry's Statement
MOSCOW, April 1 (Reuters) - The Russian Defence Ministry said on Wednesday that its forces had taken full control of the Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine, suggesting they had wrested control of a small sliver of land which had remained beyond their reach since 2022.
Verification and Ukrainian Response
Reuters could not independently verify the battlefield report and a Ukrainian military spokesperson said there had been no battlefield changes in the area in the last six months.
Background on Luhansk Region
More than 99% of Luhansk, one of four Ukrainian regions Russia claimed as its own in 2022 - something Kyiv and most Western countries have rejected as an illegal land grab - has long been under Russian control.
Moscow's Terminology and Claims
"Units of the ‘West’ military grouping have completed the liberation of the Luhansk People's Republic," the Defence Ministry said in a statement, using Moscow's preferred name for the region.
Wider Donbas Area and Ongoing Conflict
Donetsk and Kremlin's Demands
Luhansk is one of two regions - along with Donetsk - which make up the wider industrialised Donbas area. The Kremlin on Wednesday reiterated its demand that Ukrainian forces withdraw from the part of Donetsk which Moscow does not control to end what it called the "hot phase" of the war, a demand Kyiv has repeatedly dismissed as absurd.
Additional Territorial Claims
Russia's Defence Ministry said its forces had also taken control of the village of Verkhnya Pysarivka in Ukraine's Kharkiv region and of Boikove in the Zaporizhzhia region in southeastern Ukraine. Reuters could not independently verify those battlefield assertions.
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Reuters Moscow BureauAdditional reporting by Olena Harmash in Kyiv Writing by Andrew OsbornEditing by Mark Trevelyan and Andrew Heavens)
Key Takeaways
- •Moscow asserts full control of Luhansk—about 99% already occupied since 2025, with minor remaining slivers now claimed seized (kyivpost.com)
- •Ukraine and Western sources regard the 2022 annexation of Luhansk as illegal and have not acknowledged full Russian dominance (lemonde.fr)
- •Russia also claimed capture of villages in other regions—Verkhnya Pysarivka (Kharkiv) and Boikove (Zaporizhzhia)—but Reuters and others have not confirmed these developments (apnews.com)
References
Frequently Asked Questions about Russia says its troops have taken full control of Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine
1What did the Russian Defence Ministry announce regarding Luhansk?
The Russian Defence Ministry said that its forces have taken full control of the Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine.
2Has Russia controlled most of Luhansk since 2022?
Yes, more than 99% of Luhansk has been under Russian control since 2022, with only a small area previously remaining.
3What regions does the Luhansk area belong to in Ukraine?
Luhansk is one of two regions, along with Donetsk, forming the industrial Donbas area in eastern Ukraine.
4Has Ukraine or Western countries recognized Russia’s claim over Luhansk?
No, Ukraine and most Western countries have rejected Russia's claim over Luhansk as an illegal land grab.
5Did Russia report gaining control of other villages?
Yes, Russia also claimed control of Verkhnya Pysarivka in Kharkiv and Boikove in Zaporizhzhia.
