Title: "Russia's Factories Dump Waste into Luhansk River, No Rules Apply"

**Article:** Russian occupation authorities in Luhansk have stopped regulating industrial pollution. Local sources report that factories now dump waste directly into the region's rivers. The goal is to keep major industrial plants operating without interruption. Environmental protection agencies, which functioned before the 2022 invasion, have been effectively shut down. The policy has turned key waterways into open sewers for chemical and manufacturing waste. The most affected is the Siverskyi Donets River, a crucial water source for the region. This "loyalty over legality" approach guarantees factory production. However, it causes severe ecological damage that will last for decades. Residents now face long-term health risks from contaminated water and soil. There is no current system to monitor the pollution or hold the factories responsible.