April 1, 2026

"Taking Territory on Credit." Analysts and Sources of "Nova-Europe" Deny Russia's Capture of "LNR"

The Russian Ministry of Defense announced for the third time since the beginning of the war that it had completely captured the "LNR." The news was published by "RIA Novosti" with reference to the department's press service. "Units of the 'Zapad' (West) group of troops have completed the liberation of the Luhansk People's Republic," the report states. A source from "Nova-Europe" in the command of the 11th Corps of the Armed Forces of Ukraine refutes this information. According to him, the 11th Corps continues to hold its positions in the Luhansk region. The source's words are also confirmed by military-political observer Oleksandr Kovalenko of the "Information Resistance" group in a conversation with "Nova-Europe." According to him, Ukrainian troops continue to repel Russian attacks. The observer noted that two areas remain under the control of Ukraine's defense forces in the Luhansk region. One is near the village of Novoyegorovka in the Svatove district, and the second is near the village of Hrekivka in the same district. In total, Kovalenko emphasizes, the Armed Forces of Ukraine control about 80 square kilometers of the region. "It was simply impossible to conduct such an operation, to make a breakthrough with such a scope, and to remain unnoticed by Z-military correspondents, who would have been overjoyed about it against the backdrop of other failures." Kovalenko notes that OSINT analysts' data also do not confirm the Ministry of Defense's statement. In his opinion, this is another "capture of territory on credit" - Russia increasingly claims to capture territories it does not actually control. The Ministry of Defense has already announced the complete capture of the Luhansk region twice before. The first time this happened was on July 3, 2022, and the second time on May 30, 2025.