Governor warns of intensified shelling as Moscow prepares for a major offensive in the region.

Residents in Luhansk, a region in eastern Ukraine, are being urged to evacuate due to increasing shelling and a buildup of Russian forces. Governor Serhiy Gaidai confirmed that about 30% of the population remains in the area despite evacuation orders, with Russia concentrating its military efforts in the east after withdrawing from northern Ukraine. The shift in focus marks a change in Russia’s strategy, initially aimed at protecting Russian-speaking civilians in Donbas. As shelling intensifies, Ukrainian authorities are bracing for a major assault in the coming days.