Russia says it has taken full control of Ukraine's Luhansk region

Russia's Defence Ministry announced on 1 April 2026 that its forces have achieved complete control over the Ukrainian Luhansk region, marking the third such claim since the invasion began in 2022. President Vladimir Putin reiterated the statement, describing the area as the "full liberation" of the Luhansk People’s Republic. Simultaneously, Russian officials reported the capture of the town of Kostiantynivka in Donetsk, while fighting continued across Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.

Ukrainian authorities have not confirmed the Luhansk claim and independent verification remains pending. The announcement coincided with the European Union unveiling a new sanctions package that targets Russian banks and cryptocurrency networks used to evade existing measures.

The statements reflect Moscow’s ongoing effort to consolidate its claimed territories, despite international rejection of the annexations and continued resistance by Ukrainian forces supported by Western aid.