MOSCOW, July 3. /TASS/: Russia's Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu reported to President Vladimir Putin on the liberation of the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR), the Russian Defense Ministry announced on Sunday.
"On July 3, 2022, the Russian Minister of Defense, General of the Army Sergey Shoigu reported to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Armed Forces Vladimir Putin on the liberation of the Lugansk People's Republic," the ministry said.
The ministry added the Russian Armed Forces and the People's Militia of the LPR have established full control over Lisichansk and a number of nearby settlements, the largest of which are Belogorovka, Novodruzhesk, Maloryazantsevo, and Belaya Gora. "The total area of the territories liberated over the past 24 hours reached 182 square km," the Russian Defense Ministry stressed.
On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the start of a special military operation in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the heads of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republic for help.
