Pasechnik: LPR not giving liberated territories back

The LPR will not allow Ukraine to retake the liberated territories, the Republic's Head Leonid Pasechnik told Russia 24 TV channel.

"Clearly, no one is giving away the territories that we have entered," he said.

"Our army, LPR People's Militia units, acting in close cooperation with the units of the Russian Armed Forces, has enough forces and means not to allow it."

The defence and law enforcement have organized operations to resist Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance squads that can infiltrate the Republic disguised as civilians or refugees, Pasechnik said.

The LPR has declared the full liberation of its territory on July 3, as Ukrainian forces were driven away from their last pocket in Lisichansk.

Ukraine has been carrying out a military crackdown against Donbass since 2014. Multiple announcements of ceasefires failed to stabilize the situation. The simmering armed conflict escalated rapidly in February this year, and sent Donbass barrelling towards an unprecedented bloodshed.

Russia intervened on February 24 by launching a special military operation to demilitarize Ukraine and bring peace back to Donbass. *t