{"id":1538070,"date":"2022-07-04T07:37:02","date_gmt":"2022-07-04T11:37:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1538070"},"modified":"2022-07-04T07:37:06","modified_gmt":"2022-07-04T11:37:06","slug":"russia-claims-full-control-of-ukraines-luhansk-region","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/russia-claims-full-control-of-ukraines-luhansk-region\/","title":{"rendered":"Russia Claims Full Control of Ukraine\u2019s Luhansk Region"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Frussia-claims-full-control-of-ukraines-luhansk-region%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1538070&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><header aria-label=\"Beginning of Article\" class=\"article-header\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\" class=\"breadcrumbs\">\n<h2 class=\"visually-hidden\">Breadcrumb Trail Links<\/h2>\n<ol class=\"breadcrumbs__items list-unstyled\">\n<li class=\"breadcrumbs__item\"> <a class=\"breadcrumbs__item-link\" href=\"https:\/\/financialpost.com\/category\/pmn\/business-pmn\/\">PMN Business<\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<div class=\"article-meta\">\n<div class=\"wire-published-by\">\n<p class=\"visually-hidden\">Author of the article:<\/p>\n<p> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Reuters\" aria-labelledby=\"wire-company-name\" class=\"wire-published-by__logo\" height=\"70\" src=\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0e5521e933d53566787277062da28f5a?s=70&#038;d=mp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0e5521e933d53566787277062da28f5a?s=70&#038;d=mp, https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0e5521e933d53566787277062da28f5a?s=140&#038;d=mp 2x\" width=\"70\" \/> <\/p>\n<div class=\"wire-published-by__author-container\">\n<p> Reuters <\/p>\n<p> Tom Balmforth and Max Hunder <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group\">\n<h2 class=\"visually-hidden\">Article content<\/h2>\n<p>KYIV \u2014 Russia said it had taken full control of the eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk on Sunday after capturing the final Ukrainian bastion of Lysychansk, the city where Kyiv said it had withdrawn to save the lives of its troops.<\/p>\n<p>The region\u2019s capture, a major Russian war aim, is a political victory for the Kremlin after weeks of grinding advances and shifts the battlefield focus to neighboring Donetsk region, where Kyiv still controls swathes of territory.<\/p>\n<p>Since abandoning an assault on the capital Kyiv, Russia has concentrated its military operation on the industrial Donbas heartland that comprises the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, where Moscow-backed separatist proxies have been fighting Ukraine since 2014.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"ad__section-border article-content__ad-group\">\n<section aria-describedby=\"advertisment2699153017657781749654633267339334\" class=\"ad\">\n<h2 class=\"visually-hidden\" id=\"advertisment2699153017657781749654633267339334\">Advertisement 2<\/h2>\n<div class=\"ad__container\">\n<div class=\"ad__label\">\n<p> Story continues below <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"ad__inner\" id=\"ad__inner-2\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner__container\" data-ad=\"[[6,6],[1200,250],[1200,90],[970,90],[970,250],[728,90],[300,250]]\" data-ad-interscroller=\"6x6\" data-ad-loc=\"2\" data-ad-mobile=\"[[6,6],[320,50],[300,50],[300,250],[300,600]]\" id=\"ad-2\">\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"ad__placeholder\">\n<p> This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section><\/div>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group\">\n<h2 class=\"visually-hidden\">Article content<\/h2>\n<p>Russia says it is capturing Luhansk region in order to give it to the self-proclaimed Russian-backed Luhansk People\u2019s Republic whose independence it recognized on the eve of the war.<\/p>\n<p>Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu informed President Vladimir Putin that Luhansk had been \u201cliberated,\u201d the defense ministry said, after Russia earlier said its forces had captured villages around Lysychansk and encircled the city.<\/p>\n<p>Ukraine\u2019s military command said its forces had been forced to retreat from the city.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe continuation of the defense of the city would lead to fatal consequences. In order to preserve the lives of Ukrainian defenders, a decision was made to withdraw,\u201d it said in a statement on social media.<\/p>\n<p>Ukrainian officials, who say references to \u201cliberating\u201d Ukrainian territory are Russian propaganda, had reported intense artillery barrages on residential areas.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"ad__section-border article-content__ad-group\">\n<section aria-describedby=\"advertisment4928262162067020946189801882840473\" class=\"ad\">\n<h2 class=\"visually-hidden\" id=\"advertisment4928262162067020946189801882840473\">Advertisement 3<\/h2>\n<div class=\"ad__container\">\n<div class=\"ad__label\">\n<p> Story continues below <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"ad__inner\" id=\"ad__inner-3\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner__container\" data-ad=\"[[7,7],[1200,250],[1200,90],[970,90],[970,250],[728,90],[300,250]]\" data-ad-interscroller=\"7x7\" data-ad-loc=\"3\" data-ad-mobile=\"[[7,7],[300,250],[320,50],[300,50]]\" id=\"ad-3\">\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"ad__placeholder\">\n<p> This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section><\/div>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group\">\n<h2 class=\"visually-hidden\">Article content<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cUkrainian forces likely conducted a deliberate withdrawal from Lysychansk, resulting in the Russian seizure of the city on July 2,\u201d analysts at the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, wrote in a briefing note.<\/p>\n<p>They based their assessment on footage showing Russia forces walking casually in northern and eastern neighborhoods of Lysychansk, saying it suggested few or no Ukrainian forces remained. It said the footage included images posted on social media and geolocated to confirm where it was filmed.<\/p>\n<p>West of Lysychansk in Donetsk region, at least six people were killed when the Ukrainian city of Sloviansk was hit by powerful shelling from multiple rocket launchers on Sunday, local officials said.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"ad__section-border article-content__ad-group\">\n<section aria-describedby=\"advertisment892416854948937355161341267916198\" class=\"ad\">\n<h2 class=\"visually-hidden\" id=\"advertisment892416854948937355161341267916198\">Advertisement 4<\/h2>\n<div class=\"ad__container\">\n<div class=\"ad__label\">\n<p> Story continues below <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"ad__inner\" id=\"ad__inner-4\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner__container\" data-ad=\"[[1200,250],[1200,90],[970,90],[970,250],[728,90],[300,250]]\" data-ad-loc=\"4\" data-ad-mobile=\"[[320,50],[300,50],[300,250]]\" id=\"ad-4\">\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"ad__placeholder\">\n<p> This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section><\/div>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group\">\n<h2 class=\"visually-hidden\">Article content<\/h2>\n<p>COSTLY CAMPAIGN<\/p>\n<p>Thousands of civilians have been killed and cities leveled since Russia invaded on Feb. 24, with Kyiv accusing Moscow of deliberately targeting civilians. Moscow denies this.<\/p>\n<p>Russia says what it calls a \u201cspecial military operation\u201d in Ukraine aims to protect Russian speakers from nationalists. Ukraine and its Western allies say this is a baseless pretext for its flagrant aggression that aims to seize territory.<\/p>\n<p>While Russia would try to frame its advance in Luhansk as a significant moment in the war, it came at a high cost to Russia\u2019s military, said Neil Melvin of the London-based think tank RUSI.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cUkraine\u2019s position was never that they could defend all of this. What they\u2019ve been trying to do is to slow down the Russian assault and cause maximum damage, while they build up for a counteroffensive,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"ad__section-border article-content__ad-group\">\n<section aria-describedby=\"advertisment6530949245056441498835282057878428\" class=\"ad\">\n<h2 class=\"visually-hidden\" id=\"advertisment6530949245056441498835282057878428\">Advertisement 5<\/h2>\n<div class=\"ad__container\">\n<div class=\"ad__label\">\n<p> Story continues below <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"ad__inner\" id=\"ad__inner-5\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner__container\" data-ad=\"[[1200,250],[1200,90],[970,90],[970,250],[728,90],[300,250]]\" data-ad-loc=\"5\" data-ad-mobile=\"[[320,50],[300,50],[300,250]]\" id=\"ad-5\">\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"ad__placeholder\">\n<p> This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section><\/div>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group\">\n<h2 class=\"visually-hidden\">Article content<\/h2>\n<p>Russia\u2019s defense ministry also said on Sunday it had struck military infrastructure of Kharkiv, Ukraine\u2019s second largest city in the northeast, where a Reuters reporter said Ukrainian forces had been building fortifications after nightly shelling.<\/p>\n<p>Outside a school in Kharkiv, some residents threw debris into a large crater created by an early morning rocket strike while others got help repairing damaged houses.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe wife was lucky that she woke up early in the morning because the roof fell exactly where she had been sleeping,\u201d one resident, Oleksii Mihulin, told Reuters.<\/p>\n<p>About 70 km (44 miles) from Kharkiv on the Russian side of the border, Russia also reported explosions on Sunday in Belgorod, which it said killed at least three people and destroyed homes.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"ad__section-border article-content__ad-group\">\n<section aria-describedby=\"advertisment4250313304129157639307139928793275\" class=\"ad\">\n<h2 class=\"visually-hidden\" id=\"advertisment4250313304129157639307139928793275\">Advertisement 6<\/h2>\n<div class=\"ad__container\">\n<div class=\"ad__label\">\n<p> Story continues below <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"ad__inner\" id=\"ad__inner-6\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner__container\" data-ad=\"[[1200,250],[1200,90],[970,90],[970,250],[728,90],[300,250]]\" data-ad-loc=\"6\" data-ad-mobile=\"[[320,50],[300,50],[300,250]]\" id=\"ad-6\">\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"ad__placeholder\">\n<p> This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section><\/div>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group\">\n<h2 class=\"visually-hidden\">Article content<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cThe sound was so strong that I jumped up, I woke up, got very scared and started screaming,\u201d a Belgorod resident told Reuters, adding the blasts occurred around 3 a.m. (0000 GMT).<\/p>\n<p>Moscow has accused Kyiv of numerous attacks on Belgorod and other areas bordering Ukraine. Previously, Kyiv has said such incidents are payback for Russia pounding Ukrainian urban areas into rubble.<\/p>\n<p>MILITARY BASE HIT<\/p>\n<p>Ukraine said its air force had flown some 15 sorties \u201cin virtually all directions of hostilities,\u201d destroying equipment and two ammunition depots.<\/p>\n<p>In the Russian-occupied southern Ukrainian city of Melitopol, Ukrainian forces hit a military logistics base with more than 30 strikes on Sunday, the city\u2019s exiled mayor Ivan Fedorov said. A Russian-installed official confirmed that strikes had hit the city.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"ad__section-border article-content__ad-group\">\n<section aria-describedby=\"advertisment2573540454556823825738598648143058\" class=\"ad\">\n<h2 class=\"visually-hidden\" id=\"advertisment2573540454556823825738598648143058\">Advertisement 7<\/h2>\n<div class=\"ad__container\">\n<div class=\"ad__label\">\n<p> Story continues below <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"ad__inner\" id=\"ad__inner-7\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner__container\" data-ad=\"[[1200,250],[1200,90],[970,90],[970,250],[728,90],[300,250]]\" data-ad-loc=\"7\" data-ad-mobile=\"[[320,50],[300,50],[300,250]]\" id=\"ad-7\">\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"ad__placeholder\">\n<p> This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section><\/div>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group\">\n<h2 class=\"visually-hidden\">Article content<\/h2>\n<p>Reuters could not independently verify the battlefield reports.<\/p>\n<p>Ukraine has repeatedly appealed for an acceleration in weapons supplies from the West, saying its forces are heavily outgunned.<\/p>\n<p>Speaking on a visit to Kyiv, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his government would provide Ukraine with additional armored vehicles, as well as tightening sanctions against Russia.<\/p>\n<p>German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told broadcaster ARD that Germany was discussing with its allies security guarantees for Ukraine after the war, though it was clear these would \u201cnot be the same as if someone were a member of NATO.\u201d (Additional reporting by Reuters bureaux and Leah Millis in Kharkiv; Writing by Lincoln Feast and Aidan Lewis; Editing by William Mallard, Edmund Blair, Raissa Kasolowsky and Paul Simao)<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"article-content__share-group article-delimiter\" data-evt=\"beforeunload\" data-evt-typ=\"page_scroll\" data-evt-val=\"{\" control_fields>\n<h2 class=\"visually-hidden\">Share this article in your social network<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"article-content__ad-group\">\n<div class=\"ad__section-border ad__section-border--category visually-hidden\">\n<section aria-describedby=\"advertisment8150971000639311290454818023072826\" class=\"ad\">\n<h2 class=\"visually-hidden\" id=\"advertisment8150971000639311290454818023072826\">Advertisement <\/h2>\n<div class=\"ad__container\">\n<div class=\"ad__label\">\n<p> Story continues below <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"ad__inner\" id=\"ad__inner-acceptable\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner__container\" data-ad=\"[[1200,250],[1200,90],[970,90],[970,250],[728,90],[300,250]]\" data-ad-acceptable=\"\" data-ad-loc=\"1\" data-ad-mobile=\"[[320,50],[300,50],[300,250]]\" id=\"ad-acceptable\">\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"ad__placeholder\">\n<p> This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"widget article-content__widget-group article-content__widget-group--slot1 article-content__widget-group--no-featured-media\">\n<section aria-labelledby=\"FinancialPostTopStories3745253551645803345893310156000433\" class=\"newsletter-widget fp-headlinenews\" data-account-id=\"b9d3df2fccd108b5eff3c44f573b2cd6\" data-newsletter=\"single\" data-newsletter-component=\"\" data-target-list=\"FP_HeadlineNews\" data-widget=\"newsletter\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Top Stories Newsletter logo\" class=\"newsletter-widget__logo newsletter-widget__logo--FP_HeadlineNews\" height=\"80\" src=\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/11.0.0\/websites\/images\/newsletters\/logo\/newsletter-envelope.svg\" width=\"97\" \/> <\/p>\n<div class=\"newsletter-widget__body\">\n<h2 class=\"newsletter-widget__title\" id=\"FinancialPostTopStories3745253551645803345893310156000433\">Financial Post Top Stories<\/h2>\n<p class=\"newsletter-widget__text\">Sign up to receive the daily top stories from the Financial Post, a division of Postmedia Network Inc.<\/p>\n<div class=\"js-replace-main\">  <small class=\"newsletter-widget__disclaimer text-size--micro\"> By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You may unsubscribe any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300 <\/small> <\/div>\n<div class=\"js-submit-success\" hidden id=\"submitSuccessFP_HeadlineNews\">\n<h3 class=\"newsletter__feedback--heading\">Thanks for signing up!<\/h3>\n<p class=\"newsletter-widget__text\">A welcome email is on its way. If you don&#8217;t see it, please check your junk folder.<\/p>\n<p class=\"newsletter-widget__text newsletter__feedback--last\">The next issue of Financial Post Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"newsletter-widget__text js-submit-error\" hidden id=\"submitErrorFP_HeadlineNews\"> We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section><\/div>\n<footer aria-label=\"Article Comments\" class=\"article-footer\">\n<section class=\"comments__section\" id=\"comments\">\n<h3 class=\"widget-title comments-anchor\" id=\"comments-area\">Comments<\/h3>\n<p class=\"comments__section-disclaimer\"> Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. We have enabled email notifications\u2014you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our <a href=\"https:\/\/pages.postmedia.com\/community-guidelines\/\" title=\"community guidelines (Leaving Financial Post)\">Community Guidelines<\/a> for more information and details on how to adjust your <a href=\"https:\/\/pages.postmedia.com\/community-guidelines\/#FAQ8\" title=\"email settings (Leaving Financial Post)\">email<\/a> settings. <\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/footer>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Breadcrumb Trail Links  PMN Business   Author of the article:  Reuters<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1538070","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1538070","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1538070"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1538070\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1538070"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1538070"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1538070"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}