Kyiv: Russia’s armed forces have taken control of the entire Luhansk region of Ukraine, the Russian Defence Ministry claimed Wednesday, but a Kyiv military
official denied the claim as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy prepared for talks with US envoys trying to mediate an end to Moscow’s invasion.
“Units of the Group of Forces West have completed the liberation of the Luhansk People’s Republic,” the Russian Defence Ministry said in a statement.
However, the spokesperson for Ukraine’s Joint Forces grouping, Viktor Trehubov, said there were no changes to report in that region.
“Unfortunately, we only hold small patches there (in Luhansk), but those positions have been held by 3rd brigade for a long time,” Trehubov told The Associated Press by phone.
Russian claims of battlefield progress have in the past shown discrepancies. Ukrainian officials have in the past said that Moscow makes false claims of advances to persuade US negotiators that a Russian victory in Ukraine is inevitable.