# Battle of Starobilsk

The battle of Starobilsk was a military battle which units of the Russian Armed Forces and LPR militas fought against the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the city of Starobilsk. The battle was part of Russia's Eastern Ukraine campaign, beginning on 25 February and concluding by the 2 March when Russian forces managed to gain control of the city.

## Background

During the early hours of the invasion, Russian forces in the Donbas advanced quickly, particularly in the Luhansk Oblast due to its lower volume of defensive fortifications in most of the region's area. This meant that Starobilsk immediately became a frontline city once Russian forces had entered Ukraine.

## Battle

On 24 February 2022, at the start of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russian Forces began an assault on Starobilsk, consisting of an unspecified number of tanks, BMPS, and infantry, sparking the beginning of clashes near the city. On 25 February 2022, the Armed Forces of Ukraine claimed to have destroyed a column of Russian soldiers which had prepared to cross the river Aidar.
Fighting for the city ensued over the next few days, until a large Russian convoy made up of more than 60 vehicles entered Starobilsk on 2 March but was stopped from advancing ahead by protesting locals, effectively ending the battle for the city. This was reinforced when, on 6 March, Serhiy Haidai, the governor of Luhansk Oblast, stated that Russian forces had captured Starobilsk.

## Aftermath under Russian occupation

The city was heavily damaged by Russian artillery barrages, meaning many people resorted to taking refuge in their basements. This has resulted in six injuries and one death. On 6 March 2022, hundreds of locals gathered and took down the flag of the Luhansk People's Republic, burning it and singing the Ukrainian national anthem. The pro-Russian forces dispersed the pro-Ukrainian meeting with shots in the air. The subsequent control of the city by Russian forces led to actions that intended to integrate Starobilsk into the Luhansk People's Republic.
On 11 August 2022, Askyar Laishev, a former law enforcement officer and collaborator, was killed in a car bombing on Shevchenko Street. In early September 2022, Ukraine launched a major counteroffensive in the region. On 13 September, Ukrainian Governor of Luhansk Oblast, Serhiy Haidai, stated Russian forces had fled Starobilsk adding that the city was "practically empty". This claim was proven to be false, as the Ukrainian counteroffensive has stalled outside Svatove, around 60 km from Starobilsk.
On 1 April 2024 a car bomb in the centre of Starobilsk killed the pro-Russian Deputy Head of the Centre for Servicing Educational Organisations of the Luhansk People's Republic, Valerii Chaika. In late 2024, it was reported by pro-Ukrainian media that Russia was conducting media campaigns to encourage men in Starobilsk to enlist and join Russian forces.

## Significance of the city's capture

Like Tokmak, the battle and the subsequent capture of Starobilsk is often overlooked and overshadowed by other military engagements, like the battles of Sieverodonetsk and Lysychansk, due to its location in the Luhansk Oblast, which was far away from the main battles in the region. The capture and control of the city was important because it served as an important Russian logistics and supply hub, since it directly connected with the cities of Svatove and Rubizhne, which allowed for the strengthening of the Svatove-Kreminna line (which was threatened by Ukraine's Luhansk Oblast campaign) and the later successes during battles of Sieverodonetsk and Lysychansk respectively, allowing for Russian forces to consequently seize control of all of the Luhansk Oblast.