Pervomaisk (Ukrainian: Первомайськ; Russian: Первомайск), also known as Sokolohirsk (Сокологірськ), is a city in Luhansk Oblast, Ukraine, on the left bank of the Luhan River.

[1][2] Pervomaisk came under the control of the breakaway Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) in early 2014,[3] following which the city became a focal point of the war in Donbas, sustaining heavy destruction in the conflict.

[4][5] In 2022, Russia declared its annexation of the entirety of Luhansk Oblast, including Pervomaisk, as part of the LPR.

During World War II, on 12 July 1942, the town was occupied by advancing German troops;[15][16] on 3 September 1943, it was liberated by units of the 266th Rifle Division (led by Major General Kornei Rebrikov [ru]) of the 32nd Rifle Corps of the 3rd Guards Army of the Southwestern Front during the Donbas strategic offensive.

[19] In May 1995, the Government of Ukraine approved a decision on the privatization of the town's housing and communal services department.

[21] In September 2012, the Government of Ukraine authorized the privatization of four local coal mines: Pervomaiskaya, Zolotoye, Karbonit, and Toshkovskaya.

[25] The Ukrainian Government launched their Anti-Terrorist Operation in mid-April 2014, with the aim of taking back all territories under separatist control.

The referendums returned an overwhelming majority vote to cede from Ukraine into the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, however they were condemned and considered sham by the west, and did not obtain international recognition.

[40][41] Following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Pervomaisk has been hit numerous times by Ukrainian shelling, with multiple civilian casualties and fatalities.

[2] Due to the ongoing war, many mines, factories and businesses in Pervomaisk are either closed, or not in operation.

After Russia's annexation referendums of September 2022, Izvarino has served as a checkpoint between the LPR, and Rostov Oblast.