Luhansk is one of two regions that make up Donbas, the eastern part of Ukraine where conflict began in 2014 between Ukraine and Russian-backed separatists.
The area has become the focus of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s military ambition in Ukraine after his forces failed to take over Kiev earlier this year.
The fall of Lysychansk brings Russia closer to achieving its goal of taking over Donbas.
“After heavy fighting for Lysychansk, Ukraine’s armed forces were forced to withdraw from their occupied positions and lines,” the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said on Twitter on Sunday.
Pro-Russian separatists in the area had already won the battle for Lysychansk. Leonid Pasechnik, the leader of the Russian-backed self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic, declared the Luhansk region ‘liberated’.
Only Russia and Syria recognize the Luhansk People’s Republic as independent. Ukraine and its western allies consider it part of Ukrainian territory, which is currently under Russian occupation.
A video shared by Russian state news channel Ria Novosti on Saturday is intended to show residents installing the old Soviet Union flag at the Memorial to the Fallen in Lysychansk.
The fate of Luhansk: The Institute for the Study of War said Russia is likely to establish control over the rest of the Luhansk region in the coming days. After that, the institute said in its latest update that Russian forces are likely to focus on Ukrainian positions in Siversk, west of Lysychansk, before turning inland to Sloviansk and Bakhmut.
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