Prior to the full-scale invasion by Russia in early 2022, Ukrainian forces held a number of settlements around Popasna, including the villages of Troitske, and Novooleksandrivka, and the towns of Hirske, Novotoshkivske, and Zolote.

The same day, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov claimed Hennadii Shcherbak, a "Ukrainian nationalist that collaborated with NATO instructors", was killed in Popasna.

The 24th Mechanized Brigade said it had successfully repelled their assault and suggested the militants were foreign fighters of private military company Wagner Group and Russian citizens of rural origins.

Danilov said Popasna remained under full Ukrainian control; however, the chairman of the Luhansk Regional Administration, Serhiy Haidai, said heavy fighting continued for the city.

According to the pro-Russian Telegram channel RIA FAN, Russian and LPR forces began setting up a new Russian-backed government in the city and continued to advance westward as part of the larger offensive.

The video showed the mutilated body of the captured soldier and then his head stuck on a wooden pole with his hands on metal spikes on either side of it, in front of the garden of a house.