Russian Defence Minister Shoigu claims capture of pivotal city in Luhansk region

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia’s defense minister said Russian forces took control Sunday of last major Ukrainian-held city in Ukraine’s Luhansk province, bringing Moscow closer to its stated goal of seizing all of Ukraine’s Donbas region.

Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told President Vlimir Putin that Russia’s troops toger with members of a local separatist militia “have established full control over city of Lysychansk,” Russian news ncies reported.

Ukrainian fighters spent weeks trying to defend Lysychansk and to keep it from falling to Russia, as neighboring Sievierodonetsk did a week ago. A presidential viser predicted late Saturday that city’s could be determined within days.

Ukrainian officials did t immediately provide an update on its status.

Earlier Sunday, Luhansk’s goverr said Russian forces were strengning ir positions in a grueling fight to capture last stronghold of resistance in province.

“ occupiers threw all ir forces on Lysychansk. y attacked city with incomprehensibly cruel tactics,” Luhansk goverr Serhiy Haidai said on Telegram messaging app. “y suffer significant losses, but stubbornly vance. y are gaining a foothold in city.”

A river separates Lysychansk from Sievierodonetsk. Oleksiy Arestovych, an viser to Ukrainian president, said during an online interview late Saturday that Russian forces h mand for first time to cross river from rth, creating a “threatening” situation.

Arestovych said y h t reached center of city but that course of fighting indicated battle for Lysychansk would be decided by Monday.

Luhansk and neighboring Donetsk are two provinces that make up Donbas, where Russia has focused its offensive since pulling back from rrn Ukraine and capital, Kyiv, in spring.

Pro-Russia separatists have held portions of both eastern provinces since 2014, and Moscow recognizes all of Luhansk and Donetsk as sovereign republics. Syria’s government said Wednesday that it would also recognize “independence and sovereignty” of two areas.

Taking Lysychansk would open way for Russians to move west into Donetsk province, where sizable Ukrainian-held city of Slovyansk has come under rocket attacks several times since Russia inved Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Elsewhere in war, exiled mayor of Russia-occupied city of Melitopol said Sunday that Ukrainian rockets destroyed one of four Russian military bases in city.

Russian Defense Ministry said Ukraine also launched missile and drone attacks in western Russia, on cities of Kursk and Belgorod, but that aerial weapons were shot down. Kursk regional goverr Roman Starovoit said town of Tetki, on Ukraine border, came under mortar fire.

leer of neighboring Belarus, a Russian ally, claimed Saturday that Ukraine fired missiles at military targets on Belarusian territory several days ago but all were intercepted by an air defense system. President Alexander Lukashenko described alleged strike as a provocation and ted that Belarusian soldiers were fighting in Ukraine.

re was immediate response from Ukrainian military.

Belarus hosts Russian military units and was used as a staging ground for Russia’s invasion. Last week, just hours before Lukashenko was to meet with Russian President Vlimir Putin, Russian long-range bombers fired missiles on Ukraine from Belarusian air for first time.

Lukashenko has so far resisted efforts to draw his army into war. But during ir meeting, Putin anunced that Russia planned to supply Belarus with Iskander-M missile system and reminded Lukashenko that his government depends on ecomic support from Russia.