Moscow, March 18, (dpa/) – The Russian military on Friday, said it had brought 90% of Ukraine’s eastern Luhansk region under its control.
The forces of the Moscow-backed Luhansk People’s Republic had advanced against Ukrainian troops “with supporting fire from the Russian armed forces,” Defence Ministry spokesperson Igor Konashenkov said.
The self-proclaimed Luhansk and Donetsk People’s Republics, have been supported and equipped by Russia since 2014.
The territory they controlled before the Russian invasion on February 24, included only part of the Ukrainian administrative regions of Luhansk and Donetsk. Their complete conquest was one of Moscow’s war aims.
Konashenkov said gains were also being made in Donetsk, which includes the besieged port city of Mariupol.
The Russian army said it had destroyed 183 drones, 1,406 tanks and armoured vehicles, 138 rocket artillery mounts, 535 artillery pieces and 1,200 vehicles of the Ukrainian armed forces since the war’s start.
Russia’s claims could not be independently verified.
GNA