Russia states that it "fully controls" the Luhansk region of Ukraine

Russia states that it controls eastern Ukraine's Luhansk after taking over Lysychans'k, the last city controlled by Ukraine.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told Vladimir Putin on Sunday that their troops were "fully controlling" Risichansik and several neighboring settlements, Russian state news agency. The companyRIA Novostireported.

Ukrainian military headquarters confirmed on Sunday night that the troops had been forced to withdraw from the city.

"It has been decided to withdraw to save the lives of Ukrainian defenders," he said in a social media statement.

Earlier that day, Ukraine challenged the claim. President Volodymyr Zelensky said thatRussiawas not completely controlled and that the city's battles continued on the outskirts of the city. However, he admitted that Ukraine is in a difficult situation.

"There is no advantage there," Zelensky said in a press conference with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese atKieu."It's a really very difficult situation there."

Zelensky said he was still trying to hand over weapons to Lysychans'k to strengthen the Ukrainian army.

The fighting in the eastern part of Ukraine has remained fierce since Moscow refocused its efforts in Ukraine. Violence has also spread to Ukraine, and officials in the city of Belgorod, Russia, have accused Ukrainian troops of bombing the neighborhood on Sunday, killing three people and damaging their homes.

Russia's acquisition of Lysychans'k effectively gives Moscow control over the entire Luhansk region and more than half It means that it was acquired in about 75% of the two eastern regions of the Donetsk region, which are collectively known as Donbus.

Occupation of the entire Donbas region is an important goal of Russia's invasion, and after the last failure to occupy northern Ukraine, including the capital Kieu, the country has most of its troops there. I concentrated. Of March.

This advance brought Russian troops closer to several other Ukrainian-controlled cities and towns in Donetsk, andauthorities said6 people were killed and 15 were injured. Stated. According to Mayor Oleksandr Goncharenko, Kramatorsk, the capital of the Donetsk region since 2014, where missiles destroyed the hotel on Sunday. He said on Sunday three rockets attacked the town and no casualties have been reported so far.

Online video of allegedly shot in Rishchansik, a Russian soldier who is willing to raise the flags of Russia and Chechnya in front of a building damaged by the Russian War. ..

Last month, Ukrainian troops withdrew from Sieviero Donetsk in the city of Luhansk, just north of Lysychans'k, because of the magnitude of the loss. Ukraine has not released figures on the number and location of Ukrainian soldiers killed, but Ukrainian Presidential AdvisorMykhailo Podolyaksaid 100 to 200 Ukrainian soldiers daily at the time. Said that he was dead.

The London-based War Institutestated thatUkrainian troops had deliberately withdrawn from Lysychans'k, perhaps Luhansk's last Ukrainian base, to avoid siege.

The highways and supply routes between the Ukrainian-dominated Donetsk region and Lysychans'k have become very unstable due to the bombardment. Several civilians, including a French journalist, died last month driving along the route.

Inside Lysychans'k, according to one aid worker interviewed byFrance24, Russia was still evacuating from the city, so it used its excellent artillery capabilities to build the building. Flattened one by one. The army had no place to evacuate.

"Russian troops have settled in the Lysychansik region and the city is on fire,"said. Luhansk region. "If Sieviero Donetsk's house and administration building survived a month of street combat, the same administration building was completely destroyed in a short period of time in Lysychans'k."

Heidi is a Ukrainian army. The Russians were "stubbornly moving forward," he added, even though he succeeded in destroying the Russian ammunition depot in eastern Ukraine.

Ukraine'sMilitary Intelligencetold the Guardian last month that Ukraine has 10 to 15 Russian cannons from one cannon. Since then, some Western nations have promised to provide more military aid, including artillery.

Separately, Russia accused Ukraine of a missile attack on the Russian city of Belgorod near the border with Ukraine, killing three people and injuring four, including a 10-year-old child. Said. Vyacheslav Gladkov, Belgorod's local governor, said 11 apartments and 39 detached houses were damaged or destroyed in an overnight incident.

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said, "It was intentionally planned and launched for civilians." Russia said it had intercepted three Ukrainian missiles, but one fell into an apartment building.

Since the invasion began, there have beenseveral explosionsin Belgorod. Ukraine was not directly responsible, but previously described the case as Russian "karma".

President of Belarus, Russia's main ally, Alexander Lukaschenko said the two states would create a "single army" and stick to Russia in the war with Ukraine.

"We acted with our brothers in Russia. Our participation in the'special operation'was decided by me long ago," Belarusian state news agency Bertha said on Sunday. Reported that Lukaschenko said when marking the anniversary.

On Saturday, Lukaschenko Belarusian soldiers claimed they were not currently fighting in Ukraine, Belarus claimed to fight only in response to provocations, and Belarus' anti-aircraft system was launched by Ukraine last week without providing evidence. Claimed to have shot down some missiles. Belarusian military facility.

"We have been provoked. Three days ago, perhaps a little earlier, they were from Ukrainian territory to Belarusian territory military facility. But thank God. Panzer's anti-aircraft system managed to intercept all the missiles, "Lukaschenko said.

Ukraine has not responded to Lukaschenko's claim, but in an interview on June 6, Zelenskydownplayed the risk of repeated aggression from Belarusian territory.