The conquest of the Luhansk region has been achieved, but apparently not the ultimate goal in the Kremlin. After talks between President Putin and Defense Minister Shoigu, the continuation of hostilities is announced. The troops are advancing on the nearest major cities.
After capturing the strategically important city of Lysychansk in eastern Ukraine's Luhansk Oblast, Russia has announced that fighting will continue in other parts of the neighboring country. "The armed forces of the Russian Federation are continuing the special military operation," Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said at a meeting with Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin. "The military units, including the East and West Groups, must perform their duties in accordance with the approved plans," Putin instructed Defense Minister Shoigu.
In Moscow, the war against Ukraine that began around four and a half months ago is officially referred to as a "special operation." With the capture of Lysychansk and the associated control over the entire Luhansk region, the Kremlin achieved one of its most important war goals. In the neighboring Donetsk region, on the other hand, the Ukrainians still control large parts. Shoigu said more than 2,200 Ukrainian soldiers were killed and more than 3,200 injured in the fighting in Luhansk. This could not be verified independently. Moscow did not provide any information on losses in its own ranks.
The next destination in the east is apparently the metropolitan area around Slowjansk. "In the direction of Sloviansk, the Russians are trying to establish control over the towns of Bohorodychne, Dolyna and Masanivka," the Ukrainian general staff said in Kyiv. The three towns are less than 20 kilometers north and northeast of Sloviansk, on the south bank of the Seversky Donets River. According to this information, the Russian troops are also moving from the east towards the Siwerskyi Donets, which runs in an arc in the region. There the enemy is trying to push back the Ukrainian forces to a new line of defense between Siwersk, Soledar and Bakhmut, the situation report said. These three cities are about 30 to 40 kilometers east of the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk conurbation, which is considered the headquarters of the Ukrainian Defense Forces in Donbass.
Putin said Russian soldiers who took part in the capture of Luhansk should now "rest" to gather strength for further fighting. The head of the Kremlin also awarded two generals the "Hero of Russia" medal.
