The Latest Breaking News from Luhansk

The Russian-installed administrators of Ukraine's Luhansk and Kherson regions have formally asked President Vladimir Putin to incorporate them into Russia, following hastily organised referendums that Ukraine and the West denounced as illegitimate.

Vladimir Putin's so-called "rocket man", Dmitry Rogozin, may be appointed as the head of Russia's newly occupied territories including Donetsk and Luhansk, despite the West slamming the referendum polls as an "illegal sham"

Arrests made in 32 cities at rallies against mobilisation; border crossings from Russia to Finland have doubled and 10km queue reported at frontier with Georgia

The widely condemned referendums have been taking place in four occupied regions of Ukraine - Luhansk, Dnetsk, Khereson and Zaporizhzhia.

Voting has begun in several occupied regions of Ukraine

The Kremlin-orchestrated votes in Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia are widely considered to be illegitmate

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday announced a partial military mobilization, as Russian forces battle a Ukrainian counter-offensive that has regained some occupied territory. In a televised address, Putin said the partial mobilization of its 2 million-strong military reserves was to defend Russia and its territories, claiming the West wants…

President Vladimir Putin ordered Russia's first wartime mobilisation since World War Two on Wednesday, shocking citizens with what Western countries described as an act of desperation in the face of a losing war.

Russian leader’s speech reportedly delayed as Kyiv says referendums would end any chance of diplomatic solution to invasion