Russia claims gains in Ukraine as US attention focuses on Iran war

Russia on Monday evening claimed to have captured the entirety of Ukraine’s Luhansk region, marking the first time since its illegal invasion began three years ago that it may fully occupy an entire region. 

Fox News Digital could not independently verify the claim made by Leonid Pasechnik, the Moscow-appointed leader of Luhansk, which Russian President Vladimir Putin illegally annexed in 2022 along with the regions of Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.

Kyiv has not yet commented on Pasechnik’s claims issued Monday evening when speaking with Russian state TV outlet Channel One, in which he said “literally two days ago” he had received a report that “100%” of the region was now fully occupied, first reported the Associated Press. 

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Russia is still assessed to occupy less than 20% of Ukraine, which includes Luhansk as well as some 70% of the other three regions it has claimed to have annexed, according to Reuters – though it is unclear if this figure also includes Russia’s occupation of Crimea. 

Reports on Monday showed that Russia had amassed some 50,000 troops on Ukraine’s northern border near the Sumy region, sparking concerns that Putin could be planning another major offensive.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces had been moved to the region a week ago in preparation of any Russian offensive. 

“The Russian plan for an offensive in Sumy is not being realized, and that is thanks to every Ukrainian unit operating in the area,” he said in a social media post on Telegram.

When asked about Russia’s plans on Tuesday, President Donald Trump told reporters, “We will see what happens, I’m watching it very closely.”

Moscow over the last two months has drastically intensified its war efforts in Ukraine despite attempts by Trump to push a ceasefire and an end to the war. 

While Ukraine has agreed to Washington’s ceasefire proposals, Putin has flatly rejected all attempts and broken deadlines set forth by Trump.

In June, Russia launched more than 5,300 Shahed-type drones in a series of mass attacks that have become more frequent and more deadly, reported the Kyiv Independent, citing the Ukrainian Air Force.

The 5,337 kamikaze drones fired at Ukraine last month alone reportedly shattered Moscow’s previous record of 4,198 drones fired in March – a record that coincided with the renewed outbreak of war against Iran as first Israel, and then the U.S., targeted Tehran’s nuclear infrastructure in June. 

While European nations have remained steadfast in their support of Ukraine, Washington’s support since Trump re-took office in January has wavered from the Biden administration as the U.S. has turned its attention to Israel’s war in Gaza, returning the hostages and addressing Iran’s nuclear threat. 

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U.S.-led attempts to broker a Ukraine-Russia ceasefire appear to have stalled, and little communication has been reported between Washington and Moscow following Trump’s previous call with Putin in mid-June. 

Trump maintains that Putin is looking for a way to end the war, and told reporters during a NATO news conference last week, “I know one thing – he’d like to settle.”

“He’d like to get out of this thing. It’s a mess for him,” he added. 

But NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, who has managed to establish a positive relationship with the U.S. president despite Trump’s previous criticism of the alliance, has warned that he estimates Putin has ambitions beyond Ukraine and could attack other parts of Europe within three to five years. 

Trump gave Putin a two-week deadline in May to show he was serious about ending the war, or whether he is “tapping [the U.S.] along.”

But the deadline has long passed, and the president has not made clear what his next steps will be. 

The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s questions on what the president plans to do next when it comes to U.S. attempts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, or when Trump plans to next speak with Putin.