Russia Claims Full Control of Luhansk

Russia has announced full control over the Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine. The Russian Defense Ministry stated that units of the 'West' military grouping had completed the liberation of what Moscow refers to as the Luhansk People's Republic.

The region has been largely under Russian control since 2022, with more than 99% already occupied. This latest announcement suggests that Russia has taken over a small sliver of land which had remained beyond their reach until recently. However, Ukrainian officials dispute this claim, stating there have been no battlefield changes in the area in the last six months.

Ukraine’s Joint Forces spokesperson Viktor Trehubov denied the Russian claims, asserting that Ukraine only holds 'small patches' in Luhansk. This is not the first time Russia has made such claims; the Moscow-appointed head of Luhansk announced its full capture last June, which was also disputed by Kyiv.

In a separate incident, a Russian military plane crashed in Crimea on Tuesday evening, resulting in the deaths of all 30 passengers and crew members on board. The AN-26 transport plane lost contact with authorities around 6 p.m. local time while carrying out a scheduled flight over the Crimean Peninsula.

The crash occurred in a remote, mountainous region about 30 miles northeast of Sevastopol. According to reports, the aircraft crashed into a cliff, leaving no survivors. The preliminary cause has been attributed to a technical malfunction, with initial assessments suggesting that there was no significant damage to the exterior of the aircraft.

Russia's Investigative Committee launched a criminal probe into the crash, citing potential violations of flight regulations. Military investigators and forensic experts are combing the Bakhchysarai district for evidence. No mention has been made of enemy action, and Kyiv has yet to comment on the incident.