Moscow votes to name area outside British embassy as 'LPR square'

Russia has declared that it will be naming the area along Smolenskaya Embankment between Protochny Lane and the exit to Novy Arbat Street, where the British embassy is situated as Luhansk People's Republic square. The decision was made unanimously after citizens were asked to cast a vote, and commemorate Moscow's recent victory in the eastern Donbass breakaway territory, the official website of the mayor and government of the capital informed in a statement. 

Residents of Moscow voted for the name of the territory near the British Embassy in the area of ​​the Luhansk People's Republic. This was reported on Monday on the official website of the mayor and government of the capital.During the voting under the Active Citizen campaign, an estimated 109,603 people took part. And of those, 56.85% of the citizens voted to rename the square near the British Embassy as LPR square, the officials said. Another name suggested by 13.78% of the voting population was Bolshoi Rzhevsky Lane at the junction of Malaya Molchanovka. A vote was also earlier held to rename the territory near the US Embassy in the Presnensky District to the DPR Square. 

"Muscovites have chosen a name for a square in the Presnensky district. The largest number of votes - 44.69% - was cast for Donetsk People's Republic Square. According to the terms of the poll another square or street will be proposed to be named for the Lugansk People's Republic," the mayor had stated in a statement.

Putin declares victory as Luhansk falls to Russian troops

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday declared victory in the eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk, as he congratulated the Russian and Luhansk military on the "liberation of the entire territory of the Luhansk People's Republic," TASS reported. Putin held a meeting with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu wherein he pledged to reward all Russian and Luhansk territory servicemen who achieved the victory in the operation.

Russia's military units of the "Centre" and the Southern grouping of Lisichansk must pause their combat capabilities, Putin emphasised. The "West" and "East" groups, meanwhile, continue their actions according to the plan, he iterated. The operation was launched in the  Luhansk People's Republic on June 19 by the invading Russian forces, and ended on July 3 under the command of Russian army officer Alexander Lapin and the Second Corps of the People's Militia of the LPR.