Ukraine’s resistance center says Tatarstan takes control over occupied cities of Luhansk Oblast

The Kremlin has granted Russia's Republic of Tatarstan full authority over the agglomeration of temporarily occupied cities in Luhansk—Sievierodonetsk, Lysychansk, and Rubizhne, the National Resistance Center said. "The delegation from the Republic of Tatarstan, led by its Prime Minister Alexey Yesoshin, conducted an unlawful visit to the occupied areas of Luhansk Oblast. It focused particularly on the city of Lysychansk because the Kremlin assigned the agglomeration of Sievierodonetsk–Lysychansk–Rubizhne under the complete control of its subject, the Republic of Tatarstan," according to the statement. The delegation announced the implementation of projects designed to falsely demonstrate the "reconstruction of infrastructure" in the region. Additionally, the center said local occupation administrations continue to allocate housing for workers from Tatarstan, which was previously claimed as "ownerless." Earlier, the Wall Street Journal reported that Iran and Russia were planning to build a drone factory in the town of Yelabuga in the Republic of Tatarstan that would supply over 6,000 Iranian-designed drones for Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Russia, Iran planning Iranian-designed drone factory in Tatarstan – WSJ

According to the National Resistance Center, in October 2023, nearly two hundred Ukrainian children from Luhansk were taken to the "Zarechye" camp in Tatarstan. The program of the camp is aimed at altering erasing Ukrainian national identity and further preparing children for service in the Russian armed forces. The National Resistance Center does not rule out the possibility that "these children will be further agitated to join drone units on the battlefield.