Russia attacks in Lugansk to take at least one of the four Ukrainian regions that demands

Although the epicenter of the fighting between Russia and Ukraine remains in Donetsk Moscow has intensified its attempts to conquer the small part of the region of Lugansk that remains under kyiv control, with the aim of capturing at least one of the four regions that it has illegally annexed and that requires in exchange for a fire.

In recent days, Russian forces have launched several new attacks against the town of Bilogorivka one of the few in Lugansk that remain under Ukrainian control, according to the General Staff of the Ukraine Army.

The objective is more political than purely military, explained the military analyst Oleksandr Kovalenko.

“It is crucially important for Moscow obtain total control of at least one of the incorporated Ukrainian regions In the Russian Constitution as ‘new territories’ in the near future, “he said in an analysis for the information resistance group.

With negotiations in mind

Obtain control over four Ukrainian regions -Lugask, Donetsk, Zaporiyia y j: It is one of the prerequisites mentioned repeatedly by the Kremlin to establish peace negotiations.

However, almost three years after the start of the invasion and two and a half years after the annexation by Russia, None of them are under the total control of the Moscow Army.

According to the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Ukraine controlled at the end of 2024 approximately the 34% of Donetsk, as well as 27% of the regions of Jersón and Zaporiyiaincluding the capitals of the last two.

On the contrary, Only 1% of Lugansk’s territory remains under Ukrainian control.

According to Kovalenko, conquering it would completely serve to reinforce Russia’s position in negotiations, contributing to convince the allies of Ukraine that the invading army is moving towards its objectives despite the resistance opposed by kyiv.

Would also benefit the image of Vladimir Putin Within Russia and would allow him to present the “liberation” of the Popular Republic of Lugansk as a great achievement of the invasion, said Kovalenko.

The fighting intensifies

Russia already proclaimed the total control of the region for several months in 2022, after capturing the key cities of Severodonetsk and Lisichansk, but a small part was recovered by Ukraine in the course of its successful counteroffensive in autumn of that year.

Bilogorivka has changed hands several times, but during the last two and a half years he has been under Ukrainian control.

According to Kovalenko, fighting within the town is being produced, almost completely destroyed, where Russia tries to translate its numerical superiority into territorial advances, while the 81st Ukrainian Bigrada uses Kamikaze drones to repel Russian assaults that try to take remains of individual buildings.

Russia also continues to launch assaults in the other small part of the region under Ukrainian control. Last week, the 3rd Ukrainian assault brigade denied that Moscow had become there with the control of Novoyehorikvka.

“Russian forces try to create an illusion of success,” said the brigade.

Kupiansk under threat

Russian ambitions in Ukraine are not limited to the regions listed by Putin in their ultimatum.

Although officially has not claimed its right over the border region of Járkov, Russia is trying to expand the small parts of this region of the northeast that are under its control.

The situation is difficult for the Ukrainian forces near Kupiansk, where Russian troops try to completely take the town of Dvorichna.

Given the significant concentration of troops, Russia is likely to be preparing to launch a direct assault against Kúpiansk, a key logistics knot, according to the Frontlligence Insight analysis platform.

“Getting with Kupiansk is a high priority goal for Russian military command,” he said in his latest analysis disseminated to the media.

However, the growing Ukrainian resistance has contributed to slowing the Russian advances in the area in recent days, according to the informative resistance group.

Although the rhythm of its advances in general has decreased along the front, the Russian military command ignores the high casualties to maximize its territorial advances and strengthen its position in hypothetical peace negotiations, according to Ukrainian military analysts consulted by EFE.