The #Russian Ministry of Defense initially did not comment when asked. The Russian military set up a new base in #Kreminna after withdrawing from the #Kharkov region in September. #Hajdaj also reported "huge losses" suffered by the Russians in #Luhansk. Hospitals are overwhelmed by the many wounded soldiers, he said. #Russia is sending paratroopers from the #Cherson region to Luhansk as reinforcements.

Russian troops in the contested #Luhansk region in eastern #Ukraine have given up a military headquarters in the city of #Kreminna, according to Ukrainian governor Serhiy #Hajdaj. The Russians retreated because the Ukrainians were closing in after months of fighting, Hajdaj said on Ukrainian television. Hajdaj's claims could not be independently verified.