Key facts
- Russia's military stated its forces have taken control of Kostiantynivka in eastern Ukraine.
- Kostiantynivka is described as a key locality and one of the main defensive hubs in the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk-Kostiantynivka fortified area.
- General Valery Gerasimov, head of Russia's General Staff, informed President Vladimir Putin of the capture.
- The Russian Defence Ministry shared images of Russian servicemen in the town.
- Ukraine's military has not commented on the Russian report.
Russia's military announced on Friday that its forces have captured Kostiantynivka, a key locality in the eastern Donetsk region that Moscow has long sought to control. General Valery Gerasimov, head of Russia's General Staff, informed President Vladimir Putin of the capture during the president's visit to a command point overseeing the war in Ukraine.
Gerasimov stated that the southern group of Russian forces has liberated the city of Kostiantynivka, describing it as one of the main defensive hubs within the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk-Kostiantynivka fortified area. The Russian Defence Ministry released images on Telegram purporting to show scenes from the captured town, including Russian servicemen holding national flags amidst damaged buildings.
Russia's military had previously reported that its troops controlled parts of Kostiantynivka, which is considered part of a network of key fortifications for Ukraine's defense in the region. Ukraine's military has not yet commented on the Russian claim.