Part 8/13:
Historically, Luhansk has been a strategic and symbolic battleground for Russia, with its contested status dating back to the 2014 Maidan Revolution and subsequent conflicts that led to the establishment of separatist enclaves and annexation of Crimea. As of recent reports, Russia controls roughly 19% of Ukraine, including the entire Luhansk region, part of Donetsk, over 70% of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, along with smaller segments of other territories.