MOSCOW’S forces have taken over the whole of Ukraine’s Lugansk region, according to a Russian official.

Lugansk, alongside Donetsk, was one of two Ukrainian regions that rebelled following 2014’s Maidan coup in Kiev, forming breakaway “people’s republics” with Russian military support. In September 2022, it became one of four Ukrainian regions that Russia illegally annexed.

There was no immediate comment from Ukraine on the claim made by Leonid Pasechnik, Moscow’s leader of the region. 

Mr Pasechnik told Russia’s TV Channel One on Monday that he had received a report “literally two days ago” saying that “100 per cent” of the region was now under the control of Russian forces.

He was speaking just hours after German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said that his country aims to help Ukraine manufacture more weapons more quickly.

“We see our task as helping Ukraine so that it can negotiate more strongly,” Mr Wadephul said during a visit to the Ukrainian capital, accompanied by German arms company representatives.

However, Berlin has so far refused to grant Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s request to provide Ukraine with powerful German and Swedish-made Taurus long-range missiles, which could hit targets inside Russia.