Ukraine fights to hold Kostyantynivka amid Russian push
Kostyantynivka, Donetsk Oblast, covered with smoke, May 2026 (Photo: 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade / Telegram)
Ukrainian defense forces could lose control of Kostyantynivka in Donetsk Oblast in the coming months, RBC-Ukraine reported on Aug. 3, citing statements from sources in military and political circles.
Donetsk Oblast remains the primary theater of military operations, with Russian forces aiming to capture the Kramatorsk–Kostyantynivka agglomeration.
The enemy seeks to advance as close as possible to Slovyansk and Kramatorsk — pivotal strongpoints in the battle for Donetsk Oblast.
According to a source cited by the publication, Russian forces have been detected across large parts of Kostyantynivka.
To the south, Russian troops are attempting to push toward Dobropillya to bypass Kostyantynivka, Druzhkivka, and Kramatorsk from the west. Another vulnerable sector remains the Lyman area.
Sources noted that while there are no prerequisites for a rapid operational breakthrough of the Ukrainian defense line in Donetsk Oblast, Kostyantynivka could be lost in the coming months.
According to their assessment, a similar operational risk could emerge for Lyman and Dobropillya.
One source suggested that "under an unfavorable scenario for Ukraine, Russian troops could approach Slovyansk and Kramatorsk by the end of winter."
However, the source emphasized that to achieve their goals, Russian forces cannot simply advance the frontline slowly. They will need to breach fortified defensive lines, expand their flanks, and sustain logistics under continuous strikes from Ukrainian drones.
Russia's claim of capturing Kostyantynivka and Zelenskyy's response
Late on July 3, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin met with Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov and other senior commanders, claiming the capture of Kostyantynivka, the "liberation" of Luhansk Oblast, and "significant advances" in Donetsk Oblast.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) refuted these claims, reporting that Russian presence in Kostyantynivka was limited to small sabotage groups dispersed among Ukrainian positions.
On July 4, AFU General Staff and Khortytsia Operational-Strategic Group also denied Putin's statements, confirming that Ukrainian forces continue defending Kostyantynivka and striking enemy troops attempting to infiltrate the city.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed claims regarding the capture of Kostyantynivka.
"If Kostyantynivka is now under Russian control, then Putin should have no problem meeting me there to find diplomatic solutions to finally end the war. But he still won't cross the frontline: reality differs greatly from Putin's words," Zelenskyy stated on social media.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov later offered a fabricated explanation for why this meeting was impossible.
As of July 17, evacuation from Kostyantynivka by vehicle became impossible due to targeted attacks on transport, leaving walking on foot as the only option to escape, according to Pavlo Dyachenko, head of the public relations department of the Donetsk Oblast Police.
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