Control Over Luhansk Oblast
Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the Russian General Staff, has once again declared that Russian forces have established full control over Ukraine's Luhansk Oblast. He stated that since the start of the year, Russian troops have taken control of 80 settlements and over 1,700 square kilometers of territory. Gerasimov claimed that
"the liberation of the Luhansk People's Republic has been fully completed."
This latest statement follows a pattern of similar announcements. For instance, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed full control of Luhansk Oblast in July 2022. Gerasimov himself reported the occupation of the entire region in June 2025, and in October 2025, President Vladimir Putin asserted that nearly 100% of Luhansk Oblast was captured. A comparable claim was also made in early April of this year. These repeated declarations highlight Russia's ongoing efforts to assert its narrative regarding the occupied territories.
Russian Military Objectives
According to sources within Ukraine's Defense Intelligence (GUR), Russian forces are planning the complete seizure of both Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. In connection with this goal, the aggressor has begun concentrating its forces on the eastern front. In the temporarily occupied territories, a campaign of forced conscription of men is underway, with mobilized individuals being sent to the front lines without proper medical screening.
Furthermore, a campaign of property confiscation is continuing in the occupied parts of Luhansk Oblast. Leonid Pasechnik, the head of the terrorist formation known as the LNR, reported that approximately 12,000 apartments have been listed as ownerless property subject to so-called nationalization. The situation in the region remains tense, with the actions of Russian forces causing significant distress among the local population. These measures are widely seen as part of a strategy to solidify control and alter the demographic landscape.
These statements and actions by Russian forces point to the continuation of an aggressive policy in eastern Ukraine. The occupied territories remain under Russian military control, which risks further escalation of the conflict. The forced conscription and seizure of property indicate systematic human rights violations in the region, a situation that causes alarm not only among local residents but also within the international community.
The ongoing military operations in Luhansk are not only focused on territorial control but also significantly impact the local economy. Reports indicate that the forced mobilization efforts are severely disrupting industrial activities in the region. For more insights on how these mobilization strategies are affecting the workforce and industry in the occupied territories, you can read more about the situation here.