Moscow-appointed leader says Russia has full control of Ukraine's Luhansk region
If confirmed, that would make Luhansk the first Ukrainian region fully occupied by Russia after more than three years of war and as recent US-led international peace efforts have failed to make progress on halting the fighting.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has effectively rejected a ceasefire and has not budged from his demands, which include Moscow's control over the four illegally annexed regions.
There was no immediate comment from Kyiv on the claim made by the Moscow-installed leader of the occupied region, Leonid Pasechnik.
In remarks to Russia's state TV Channel One that aired Monday evening, Pasechnik said he received a report 'literally two days ago' saying that '100 per cent' of the region was now under the control of Russian forces.
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